Willow Shoot Sawfly vs European Cherry Fruit Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Willow Shoot Sawfly European Cherry Fruit Fly
Scientific Name Janus cynosbati Rhagoletis cerasi
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Cephidae Tephritidae
Size 8-11 mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Hedgerows Orchards
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Willow Shoot Sawfly

A slender, dark stem sawfly whose larvae bore into the shoots of willow and rose. Females cause distinctive wilting of shoot tips by girdling the stem.

💡

Did You Know?

The wilted, flagging shoot tips caused by this sawfly are often the most visible sign of its presence in wild rose thickets.

European Cherry Fruit Fly

A small black fly with distinctive wing banding that infests sweet and sour cherries. Larvae feed inside cherries, causing them to rot and drop.

💡

Did You Know?

It is a textbook example of sympatric speciation, with host races on sweet and sour cherries.