Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta)

Add a sighting Subscribe View significant View unverified

Sawflies are wasp-like insects that are in the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay their eggs.

The primary distinction between sawflies and the Apocrita (ants, bees, and wasps) is that the adults lack a "wasp waist", and instead have a broad connection between the abdomen and the thorax.

References

Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta)

Featured sightings

Perga affinis (Large Green Sawfly) at Warrandyte, VIC - 28 Mar 2025 by Jimbobo

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Smiggin Holes, NSW - 21 Jan 2025 by Harrisi

Lophyrotoma sp. (genus) (Sawfly) at Flynn, ACT - 19 Feb 2024 by Christine

Pterygophorus cinctus (Bottlebrush sawfly) at Macgregor, ACT - 29 Nov 2023 by Roger

Pterygophorus cinctus at Templestowe, VIC - 18 Jan 2022 by Tepidduck1

Pseudoperga belinda at Theodore, ACT - 4 Jan 2021 by owenh

Perga dorsalis (Steel-blue sawfly, spitfire) at Acton, ACT - 30 May 2019 by TimL

Pterygophorus cinctus (Bottlebrush sawfly) at Macquarie, ACT - 29 Dec 2016 by Heino1

Latest sightings

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Isaacs, ACT - Today by Mike

Pergidae sp. (family) (Unidentified Sawfly) at Nicholls, ACT - 16 Aug 2025 by Rosie

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Belconnen, ACT - 18 Aug 2025 by AlisonMilton

Pergidae sp. (family) (Unidentified Sawfly) at Belconnen, ACT - 18 Aug 2025 by AlisonMilton

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Aranda, ACT - 21 Aug 2025 by Jennybach

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Denman Prospect, ACT - 8 Aug 2025 by Harrisi

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Watson, ACT - 8 Aug 2025 by sbittinger

Perginae sp. (subfamily) (Unidentified pergine sawfly) at Gungahlin, ACT - 5 Aug 2025 by AlisonMilton

Lophyrotoma analis (Sawfly, Dock Sawfly) at Hall, ACT - 6 Aug 2025 by Anna123

Pterygophorinae (subfamily) (Sawfly) at Noosa Heads, QLD - 6 Jul 2025 by ConBoekel

Moderators

MichaelMulvaney

Amata

DiBickers

Jimbobo

become a moderator

Announcements

There are currently no announcements.

Discussion

Jennybach wrote:

21 Aug 2025

Ok, thanks, Jenny

Perginae sp. (subfamily)

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

21 Aug 2025

I think the yellow thing is also a sawfly larvae but a newly emerged instar

Perginae sp. (subfamily)

Jimbobo wrote:

9 Aug 2025

Possibly the larva of Pterygophorus turneri.

Pterygophorinae (subfamily)

Jimbobo wrote:

9 Aug 2025

Identification based on Eucalyptus foodplant. Pterygophorinae larvae are as indistinguishable as Perginae larvae.

Lophyrotoma sp. (genus)

chriselidie wrote:

20 Jul 2025

Thanks for helping identify these, I thought they were beetle larvae all this time! I saw these a few years ago - they looked quite striking. In hindsight I regret that I didn't collect any to try and find out how the adults look, that would have been really interesting.

Perginae sp. (subfamily)