Elm Sawfly

Found in deciduous forests, woodlands, and urban areas with host trees throughout North America.

Adults feed on plant sap by stripping bark from twigs. Larvae are foliage feeders, primarily consuming leaves of elm, willow, maple, and birch trees.

They are solitary insects. Unlike most Hymenoptera, they lack a stinger but have strong mandibles. They are active during late spring and summer. Larvae have a defensive behavior of ejecting fluid from spiracles when threatened.

They are generally harmless to humans but can deliver a painful pinch with their mandibles if handled. While they can cause minor defoliation of trees, they rarely cause significant economic or ecological damage and serve as a food source for birds and small mammals.