JungleDragon is a nature and wildlife community for photographers, travellers and anyone who loves nature. We're genuine, free, ad-free and beautiful.

Join

Syrphid sawfly ascension I happened to catch this little sawfly just before it took off. <br /> <br /> This is specifically the bottlebrush sawfly, Pterygophorus cinctus.<br /> <br /> Despite the common name, sawflies are not flies. They sit within order Hymenoptera, but within a separate suborder to wasps/ants/bees, namely Symphyta.<br /> <br /> Sawflies do not possess the distinctive thin waist of the other hymenopterans, nor do they possess a sting. The common name comes from the female&#039;s saw-like egg-laying tube, which she uses to make a slit in a plant leaf or stem, into which she lays her eggs. <br /> <br /> Our Australian sawfly larvae feed mainly on native trees and shrubs, such as eucalypts, paperbarks and bottlebrushes (although a small number of species are parasitic).<br /> <br /> 15 mm body length.<br /> <br /> Image of larvae: <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/112587/bottlebrush_sawfly_larvae.html" title="Bottlebrush sawfly larvae"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3314/112587_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1689206410&Signature=B174PyqRBl4SsbzalYAOOrG0N6Y%3D" width="134" height="152" alt="Bottlebrush sawfly larvae Seen feeding on Callistemon citrinus. This grouping was on both sides of the leaf, you can just see the others poking up behind. I found it interesting that the two sets on either side had remained in sync, reducing the leaf at equal speeds. <br /> <br /> Body length 10 mm<br /> <br /> Image of adult:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/147649/syrphid_sawfly_ascension.html Australia,Bottlebrush sawfly,Fall,Geotagged,Hymenoptera,Pergidae,Pterygophorus cinctus,Symphyta,arthropod,autumn,bottlebrush sawfly,fauna,insect,invertebrate,macro,new south wales" /></a></figure> Australia,Bottlebrush sawfly,Geotagged,Hymenoptera,Pterygophorus cinctus,Summer,Symphyta,arthropod,insect,invertebrate,macro,new south wales,pergidae Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Syrphid sawfly ascension

I happened to catch this little sawfly just before it took off.

This is specifically the bottlebrush sawfly, Pterygophorus cinctus.

Despite the common name, sawflies are not flies. They sit within order Hymenoptera, but within a separate suborder to wasps/ants/bees, namely Symphyta.

Sawflies do not possess the distinctive thin waist of the other hymenopterans, nor do they possess a sting. The common name comes from the female's saw-like egg-laying tube, which she uses to make a slit in a plant leaf or stem, into which she lays her eggs.

Our Australian sawfly larvae feed mainly on native trees and shrubs, such as eucalypts, paperbarks and bottlebrushes (although a small number of species are parasitic).

15 mm body length.

Image of larvae:

Bottlebrush sawfly larvae Seen feeding on Callistemon citrinus. This grouping was on both sides of the leaf, you can just see the others poking up behind. I found it interesting that the two sets on either side had remained in sync, reducing the leaf at equal speeds. <br /> <br /> Body length 10 mm<br /> <br /> Image of adult:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/147649/syrphid_sawfly_ascension.html Australia,Bottlebrush sawfly,Fall,Geotagged,Hymenoptera,Pergidae,Pterygophorus cinctus,Symphyta,arthropod,autumn,bottlebrush sawfly,fauna,insect,invertebrate,macro,new south wales

    comments (4)

  1. View Calbost Niel's profile
    Calbost Niel
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Thanks for teaching me one of the multitude of things I simply don't know Posted 2 months ago
    1. View Ruth Spigelman's profile
      Ruth Spigelman
      Lion
      View Lion class
      I only learned about these a year or so ago. I think I'd seen one or two before and taken them for wasps. Posted 2 months ago
  3. View Ferdy Christant's profile
    Ferdy Christant
    Lion
    View Lion class
    I didn't know about the origin of the common name either, very interesting. Posted 2 months ago
  4. View Paul Dirksen's profile
    Paul Dirksen
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Nice find Ruth, well done. Posted 2 months ago

Sign in or Join in order to comment.

The Bottlebrush sawfly

Pterygophorus cinctus is a swafly recorded in Australia. The adult Bottlebrush Sawfly has an orange and black banded body, with a wingspan of about 2cm. Males have feathery (pectinate) antennae.

Info 12 0
Similar species: Wasps, Bees, Sawflies And Ants
Species identified by Ruth Spigelman
View Ruth Spigelman's profile

By Ruth Spigelman

Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
Uploaded Mar 23, 2023. Captured Mar 18, 2023 09:52 in 2 Hickson St, Merewether NSW 2291, Australia.
country flag of Australia Explore Australia 10,463 3,376 3
  • NIKON D850
  • f/16.0
  • 10/2500s
  • ISO250
  • 105mm
Captured in the summer. More summer photos.