Pear Slug Sawfly vs October Caddis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pear Slug Sawfly October Caddis
Scientific Name Caliroa cerasi Dicosmoecus gilvipes
Order Hymenoptera Trichoptera
Family Tenthredinidae Limnephilidae
Size 4-6 mm (adult) 20-28 mm
Habitat Orchards Rivers & Streams
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Worldwide North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Pear Slug Sawfly

A cosmopolitan sawfly whose slimy, slug-like larvae skeletonize leaves of cherry, pear, and plum. Heavy infestations cause premature leaf drop.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae cover themselves in a dark, slimy secretion that makes them look like tiny slugs.

October Caddis

A large orange-bodied caddisfly that hatches in autumn on western North American rivers. It is one of the most important late-season food sources for steelhead and salmon.

💡

Did You Know?

October caddis larvae build massive cases from pebbles and can be so abundant that they visibly alter the streambed substrate.