The cocoon of a female sawfly is slightly larger than that of a male sawfly. Only recently a problem in North Carolina, this pest has been reported from the Mountains eastward to the Piedmont. Damage Sawfly larvae damage conifers by defoliation. Ragged, shredded edges on the outer tips of needles are the first sign of infestation. Young larvae are responsible for this type of injury.
Older larvae consume entire needles and nibble at the bark.
If heavy defoliation occurs late in the season after bud formation, branches or entire trees may be killed. Those trees or shrubs that survive infestation often lose much of their top growth. Life History -Studies of the biology of the introduced pine sawfly in the southern Appalachians are just beginning. Therefore, little is known concerning its life history in North Carolina. The following information is based on life history studies in the more established areas of its range.