Columbine Sawfly – Pristophora aquligae

Columbine Sawfly   Scientific Name:  Pristiphora rufipes Common Name:  Columbine sawfly, granny’s bonnet sawfly, aquiligia sawfly Appearance:  Columbine sawfly has a caterpillar-like green larva. The head, as well as the bodies, are entirely green without any spots or markings. It grows up to a wasp-like adult that does not sting. It has a black body with orange legs and a few marks on the wings. The larva has six pairs of pseudo legs, distinguishing them from common caterpillars.   Host Plants or Food: Columbine sawfly mainly feeds on columbine and aquilegia plants. Territory: Throughout North America, Eastern USA, Western USA Mode of Damage:  They are avid leaf chewers and completely defoliate the plants. Starting from the edges, the larvae feed towards the interior and only leave the midrib behind. Habits and Life History: Columbine sawfly is a tiny, wasp-like insect that does not sting. The female lays eggs on the underside of the leaves, from which a small caterpillar-like larva emerges. The eggs hatch in April during the spring and mature to become an adult. It feeds on the leaves, with a characteristic attribute of chewing from the outer margins and moving in. Once the larva has matured, it drops to the ground and caves under the soil to pupate. It forms a brown cocoon and stays dormant in there until it becomes an adult. They only produce one generation per year.