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Pine sawflies is a group of several species that defoliates pines
in Florida and throughout the South. There are several species
of sawflies. Sawflies usually attack only one tree or a small
group of trees. Under favorable conditions, attack by sawflies
can intensify and they can infect thousands of acres of trees.
Sawflies prefer 5 to 10 year old trees. Repeated attacks over 2 or more years can cause a tree to die but the greatest damage caused by pine sawflies is loss of tree growth. They create this damage by eating the needles of pines. |
 Female red-headed sawfly laying eggs Photo credit: J. McGraw - North Carolina State University |
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In the spring, female sawflies lay their eggs in the needles of pines. The female cuts an individual slit for each egg and can create 1 to 30 slits for eggs in one needle. Larvae hatch from the eggs to eat the pine needles. Fully-grown larvae drop from the needles to the ground and spin cocoons in the soil. Sometimes larvae do not drop from the tree but remain to spin their cocoons in the branches and needles of the tree. This is common when the ground is flooded. Adult sawflies emerge from the cocoon weeks, months, or even years later depending on the species. |
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Pine sawfly attacks are sometimes recognized when just one side of the needles have been destroyed by the larvae eating the pine needles. Remaining needles will be reddish brown. In other cases, entire branches will be without needles or only short stubs of needles will be left. |
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Adult females are 1/4" to 3/8" long and reddish brown in color with a blackish green abdomen and thin antennae. Adult males are 3/16" to 1/4" long and black in color with feathery antennae. Fully-grown larvae are 1" long, yellowish green to green in color, and generally have dark stripes or black spots and red or black heads. |
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Sawflies can infest any southern pine. Young pines, 5-10 years old, are most susceptible. Certain species of pine sawflies have preferred hosts. The red-headed sawfly prefers longleaf and slash pine. The slash pine sawfly prefers slash pine. The black-headed pine sawfly prefers loblolly and pond pine. |
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 Red-headed pine sawfly larvae Photo credit: G. L. Lenhard - Louisiana State University |
| [Forest Health] |
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