This is a particular insect I would love to know more about. They're everywhere around my house, dropping from the basswood trees like nobody's business. I thought maybe the caterpillar turned into some kind of moth... but, nooooooo. It turns into this big ugly fly... which for the longest time i thought was some kind of nasty hornet.

Does the adult sawfly sting? That I don't know. Anyone have a website they can send me to where I can learn more about this critter? Thanks.

i'm searching for an english site.
But one thing i can say is that sawflies don't bite "per se".
Their ovopositor has not evoluted into a defensive stinger as for wasp and bees. But they do use it to lay their eggs inside wood. So it is quite possible taht they could be able to stab you if they think your finger look like a perfect little log.

hah those things are cool!
I prefer ichneumon but those are rather impressive, no doubt about it

hah those things are cool!
I prefer ichneumon but those are rather impressive, no doubt about it

Hi UffdaGreg,

The larvae of the sawfly is not a caterpiller (a term usually reserved for the larvae of lepidotera.. moths and butterflies) in that it has only 2 lateral ocelli (eyes) and don't usually have less than 5 pairs of prolegs, although some have no abdominal legs at all. 

Oh and they don't string.. athough a big horntail gave me a little nibble once.

Regards
Clive