This is the larvae of the Elm Sawfly. Now, we don't have a lot of elm around here anymore, but we do have willow, which will apparently serve in a pinch.
Sawfly larvae have more than the five pairs of stubby abdomimal limbs (prologs) typical of most true caterpillars, the prologs lack the hook-like crochets found on caterpillar prolegs, and sawfly larvae usually have only one simple eye on each side of the head as opposed to the six eyes typically found in caterpillars. Caterpillars mature to become butterflies and moths. Sawfly larvae produce wasp-like insects. However, both elm sawfly larvae and some true caterpillars feed in the open on foliage. Elm sawfly larvae cause sporadic defoliation of elms and willows. They are also known to feed on foliage of several other tree species. Adult elm sawflies also cause damage by cutting gashes in the bark of small limbs with their mandibles in order to feed on tree sap, sometimes resulting in girdling and death of the limbs.
We left him to go on his way, but we hope there aren't that many more of these guys around this year. We like our trees, too...
I can't recall ever seeing one of these before.
ReplyDeleteOur beautiful elm trees are dying one-by-one. It's so sad. I cannot figure out how they make babies. But they are. Maybe they will live.
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