Pear Fruit Sawfly vs Pale Brown Hawk Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pear Fruit Sawfly Pale Brown Hawk Moth
Scientific Name Hoplocampa brevis Theretra nessus
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Tenthredinidae Sphingidae
Size 4-6 mm 55-75 mm
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Fruit Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Pear Fruit Sawfly

A small, dark sawfly that is a pest of pear orchards. Larvae bore into developing pear fruitlets, causing premature fruit drop.

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Did You Know?

Infested young pears often show a distinctive entry hole with wet frass, and a single larva may damage two to three fruits before completing development.

Pale Brown Hawk Moth

A sleek hawk moth with uniform brown coloring and darker lateral stripes along the body. It is widespread across tropical Asia and Australasia.

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Did You Know?

Theretra nessus caterpillars undergo dramatic color changes between instars, shifting from green to brown as they mature.