Wheat Stem Sawfly vs Striped Alder Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wheat Stem Sawfly Striped Alder Sawfly
Scientific Name Cephus cinctus Hemichroa crocea
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Cephidae Tenthredinidae
Size 8-13 mm (adult) 7-9 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions North America North America, Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Wheat Stem Sawfly

A major pest of wheat and barley on the northern Great Plains of North America. Larvae bore inside stems, weakening them and causing lodging.

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Did You Know?

Larvae girdle the stem base before pupating, causing the stem to fall over at harvest.

Striped Alder Sawfly

A brightly colored sawfly with an orange body and black markings on the thorax. Larvae are pale yellowish-green with dark dorsal stripes and feed on alder and birch.

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Did You Know?

This species can reproduce both sexually and parthenogenetically, with unfertilized eggs developing into males.