Red Long-tailed Sawfly - Lophyrotoma sp
Family PERGIDAE
This page contains pictures and information about Red Long-tailed Sawflies that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 30mm
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- On a young gum tree, we found quite a lot of this sawfly larvae feeding on the leaves. They are group together when feeding. The larger larvae mixed with the small one, feed on leaf starting at the same edge until finished. When disturbed (2nd picture), they all raised their tails.
- From the above two pictures, we guess they raised their tails to mimic the hawk claws, which most of their predators will deadly afraid of.
- Reference:
- 1. Pergidae of the World - An online catalogue of the sawfly family Pergidae (Symphyta), Zoologische Staatssammlung München, 2009.
- 2. Notes on the biology and behaviour of eucalypt-defoliating Sawflies (Hymenoptera: Pergidae) in Tasmania - HJ Elliott and R Bashford, Forestry Tasmania, 1995.
