Giant wasp ==> Sawfly

Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:04 pm

I don't know if they normally get this big, but for around here this one is huge! Look at the size of that stinger. I would want that to sting me.

Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:22 pm

Nothing to fear. That is a sawfly, not a wasp. That is not a stinger but an ovipositor used to put eggs inside plant tissue. Wasp stings are internal/retractable like cat's claws.

Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:26 pm

Oh thank God! Thanks for the info, I had never seen one and was hoping there wasn't a nest of those things when I thought it was some sort of freak wasp.

Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:45 pm

Yep, that's a sawfly alright. It's a pretty rare case for me to see one, though.

Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:08 pm

That is a big fly! It must look like a wasp as a form of protection.

Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:21 am

I am so glad it's not some freak wasp. Or I would never go outside again LOL.

Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:39 pm

LOL. Just be glad you don't have these in your garden - while I'm fully aware that Dobsonflies are actually beneficial bugs (they eat click beetles, among other pests), they freak me the heck out. The ones I see around here are about 5-6" long.

Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:44 pm

Man, Lorax, that thing looks like it could pinch you coming or going :shock:

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Interestingly, there are 530 species of sawfly, but their larvae are undesirable in the garden, so you may want to swat any more you find.

Mon Sep 06, 2010 4:29 pm

Garden5, I don't think that's a very good idea. Those sawflies are excellent wasp mimics and it's very possible you might swat at real wasps by mistake. I don't think they'll take it kindly :eek:

Mon Sep 06, 2010 11:34 pm

Oh my the is a creepy bug there. I don't do bugs, so glad I have never seen any of those. This is the only sawfly I have ever seen, hope there are not more.

Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:36 am

This is what the sawflies in my garden look like. This one happens to be a Japanese sawfly. If you take away the white tips on the antenna and the yellow dot on the back, it would look exactly like mine. I've never seen any damage from them. (click photo to enlarge)

Ted

Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:10 pm

Apps...that's a good point you have, a REAL good point. Someone should probably swat me for coming up with such a bright idea :lol:

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Ted, it's not necessarily the sawfly, but the larvae that does the damage.

Hey, let's turn this into the big "sawfly thread" and seen if we can find all 500 species :lol:

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Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:24 pm

The only sawfly grubs I've seen have been in my compost bin. I keep it pretty full of garden waste, grass clippings, and kitchen waste. It has fairly large holes on the side to allow oxygen to enter. The sawflys stay around the compost bin laying eggs in the compost as it decomposes. The grubs become sawflies in the bin and exit as flies through the holes. I've never seen even one fly exhibit any interest in my live garden plants.

Ted

Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:09 pm

tedln wrote:The only sawfly grubs I've seen have been in my compost bin. I keep it pretty full of garden waste, grass clippings, and kitchen waste. It has fairly large holes on the side to allow oxygen to enter. The sawflys stay around the compost bin laying eggs in the compost as it decomposes. The grubs become sawflies in the bin and exit as flies through the holes. I've never seen even one fly exhibit any interest in my live garden plants.

Ted

Maybe because the compost is just way better table-fare to the larvae then live plants? Hmm, I'm now wondering if the reports of sawfly larvae damage aren't overstated by some or total mis-identifications of other grubs all together.