Elm Sawfly

Found in deciduous forests, parks, and residential areas near host trees like elm, willow, birch, and maple across North America.

Adults feed on the sap of host trees by gnawing into the bark of twigs; larvae eat the leaves of deciduous trees.

Active in late spring and early summer; females use a saw-like ovipositor to slit leaves and deposit eggs. They are solitary and do not form colonies or hives.

Generally harmless to humans; while they look like large wasps, they do not have a defensive sting. Larvae can cause minor defoliation to host trees, but rarely cause significant damage.