European pine sawfly, Michigan trees, shrubs

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European pine sawfly - Neodiprion sertifer

Hosts: Scotch, mugo, red, Japanese red, jack and Swiss mountain pines and occasionally others. Eggs of the European pine sawfly are laid in slits on current year’s needles in late summer and fall. Larvae emerge the following spring to feed on two-year old needles. Look for young larvae as Amelanchier is blooming or redbud begins bloom in late April to mid-May.

Management: Larvae feed in groups; both larvae and their damage can be pruned out. Insecticides should be targeted to younger larvae. Remember, B.t. is not effective on sawfly larvae even though they resemble caterpillars. See page 116 for identification tips.

Sawfly larvae, which resemble caterpillars, feed in a group, eating all the second-year needles before moving on to new branches.


Late feeding damage.	Sawfly larvae, which resemble caterpillars, feed in a group, eating all the second-year needles before moving on to new branches.


Pine needle, where European pine sawfly eggs were laid the previous summer. The egg on the right is about to hatch.	Sawflies have 6 or more pairs of prolegs, fleshy outpouchings of abdominal tissue that resemble legs. Caterpillars have 5 or fewer pairs of prolegs.

Additional information

MSU Diagnostic Services for assistance in pest identification.
MSU Landscape Alert newsletters for information about the current growing season, pest concerns and plant advice.

This information was developed from A Pocket IPM Scouting Guide for Woody Landscape Plants by Diane Brown-Rytlewski. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2839).

The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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Updated 10/08/07