Despite the name, sawflies aren’t flies at all and reside in the order Hymenoptera, along with the more familiar wasps, bees, and ants. Females don’t pack a sting, but most species have a sawlike ovipositor that they use to cut into plant tissue before laying an egg. Many in this genus, which includes about 118 species in the U.S. and Canada, mimic stinging wasps like yellowjackets and spider wasps. Adults are often seen on flowers and feed on pollen and nectar, as well as smaller insects. The caterpillar-like larvae feed on foliage.
Photo by: Kelly Dix in May near the Selway River in Idaho