Pale-Footed Birch Sawfly vs Elm Zigzag Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Pale-Footed Birch Sawfly	Elm Zigzag Sawfly
Scientific Name	Profenusa thomsoni	Aproceros leucopoda
Order	Hymenoptera	Hymenoptera
Family	Tenthredinidae	Argidae
Size	3-5 mm	5-7 mm
Habitat	Woodlands	Woodlands
Diet	Herbivores	Herbivores
Regions	Europe, introduced to North America	East Asia, invasive in Europe
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Pale-Footed Birch Sawfly

A tiny black sawfly whose larvae create distinctive blotch mines within birch leaves. Mined leaves develop brown, papery patches.

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Heavy infestations can cause over 80 percent of birch leaves to become mined, giving trees a scorched appearance by late summer.

A small, pale green sawfly of East Asian origin that has become invasive in Europe. Larvae create distinctive zigzag feeding patterns on elm leaves.

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This species reproduces entirely by parthenogenesis in its invasive range; males have never been found in Europe.