Biology |
Phytophagous.
Larvae feed on leaves of Rosaceae, especially cultivated Pyrus
(Pears) and Prunus (Plums), also cherries and apples. Larvae
resemble small slugs (greenish-brown with a large head-end tapering to
the tail), cover themselves with slime as a protection against
predation, and feed on epidermis of leaves, in the process skeletonising
them, and pupate in the soil beneath host plant. Adult wasps emerge,
mate, and female uses her saw-like ovipositor to lay eggs in leaves.
Impacts: Pest of fruit industry, damaging leaves of cherry, plum,
pear and apple trees. Heavy infestations reduce fruit yield. Control:
Manual tillage of soil beneath fruit trees to kill cocoons.
Insecticide application. |
References |
Goulet,
H. 1993. Superfamilies Cephoidea, Megalodontoidea, Orussoidea,
Siricoidea, Tenthredinoidea and
Xyeloidea (pp.
101-129). In GOULET, H. & HUBER, J. (eds). Hymenoptera of the World:
an identification guide to families. Research Branch, Agriculture
Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 668 pp.
Kaiser, C. & Sheard, A.G. 2001. Integrated pest
and disease management (IPDM) of apples and pears in KwaZulu-Natal.
KZN Agri Report No. NA-2001-06.
van
Noort, S. & Picker, M.
2011.
Wasps, Bees, Ants. Class Insecta, Order Hymenoptera.
Pp 140-146. In:
Picker,
M. & Griffiths, C. (eds.)
Alien & Invasive Animals. A South African perspective.
Struik Nature.
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