Paperbark Sawfly - Lophyrotoma zonalis
Family PERGIDAE
This page contains pictures and information about Paperbark Sawflies that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia. They are also known as Melaleuca Sawflies.
- Body length 20mm
- This sawfly is dark blue in colour with orange spots on thorax and orange coloured abdomen. Its head and long antenna are dark blue in colour. Its wings are in dark blue. Male's antenna are in serrate form.
- Adults look similar to wasps except they do not have the narrow 'waist'. Sawflies do not sting.
- Sawfly adults are not so often seen as their larvae. Adults emerge from pupa live only one or two weeks. They do not feed. They find mates and lay eggs with in the two weeks. Females lay eggs on outer edge of mature leaves.
- Reference:
- 1. Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland - Queensland Museum Publications 2000, p127.
- 2. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
- 3. Sawflies - Symphyta - by Nick Monaghan, lifeunseen.com.
- 4. Paperbark Saw Fly Lophyrotoma zonalis Rohwer - Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley.
