Neodiprion pratti pratti
The Virginia Pine Sawfly
is not really a fly; in fact, it's more closely related to
wasps. Adult sawflies have four thin wings, flies only have
two. The female Virginia Pine
Sawfly lays her eggs on pine trees, including Virginia Pine
and Loblolly Pine. She uses her saw-like ovipositor to cut a
slit in a pine needle. In each slit she inserts an egg. She
usually lays several eggs in one needle before moving on to
another one. Female sawflies lay up to 100 eggs
total. Eggs overwinter and hatch
the following April. Tiny larvae (3 millimeters long) hatch
and immediately begin feeding on the outer parts of needles.
The part of the needle they leave behind becomes like straw.
The larvae, which look a lot like caterpillars, continue to
grow until they are almost an inch long. Fully grown larvae
eat the entire needle, as well as buds and bark. Forest Health Protection,
Southern Region
Virginia Pine Sawfly eggs with emerging larvae, Caleb L. Morris, Virginia Department of Forestry
