unknown caterpillar please help!

[DebsyD]

Thanks Harry, I think you just helped me decided not to try and breed them out as my 11yr old nature mad daughter wants us to do as we only have limited experience of the usual suspects and the odd hawk moth. Re. the moisture issue we had the hawk moth pupae/chrysalis in leaf litter ontop of a plant pot of soil inside a butterfly fold out 'cage' ontop of our rabbit/guinea pig hutches in the natural elements (though a little sheltered being by the side of the house) all winter and to our amazement it worked and months later there they were!

I may try e-mailing the pics to entemologist Andrew Halstead at Wisley as he was so knowledgeable when I attended a wildlife talk and walk in Wisley late last year. Maybe he will know?

Deb

[DebsyD]

Have just found them on a website - A nature observer's scrapbook of the diverse wildlife found in East Lincolnshire, UK. - under sawflies.

They are definitely Nematus capreae (N. miliaris).

Deb

[Dogghound]

Yep Nematus capreae

[sunnyfunny]

I have these sawfly larvae eating my contorted hazel tree at the moment. They seem pretty efficient. Someone at the start of this conversation said they wouldn't harm the tree - are you sure? If they're doing no long term harm I'll leave them be, but if they're going to hurt my garden they might have to say bye bye.

[Harry Eales]

Originally Posted by sunnyfunny

I have these sawfly larvae eating my contorted hazel tree at the moment. They seem pretty efficient. Someone at the start of this conversation said they wouldn't harm the tree - are you sure? If they're doing no long term harm I'll leave them be, but if they're going to hurt my garden they might have to say bye bye.

In my 50 odd years of entomologising I've never seen sawfly larvae cause serious or long lasting damage to a tree or shrub.

Yes they will eat a good number of leaves, but these will come back next year. They cause no long lasting harm.

In the valley where I live the Bird Cherry trees are totally defoliated by the tiny larvae of the Bird Cherry Ermine Moth (a micro) every year and the following year the leaves are back. The life cycle of sawflies is fairly short so within a week or two they should be gone.

Harry