Neodiprion sertifer

Neodiprion sertifer, the European pine sawfly or red pine sawfly, is a sawfly species in the genus Neodiprion. Although native to Europe, it was accidentally introduced to North America in 1925. The larvae of Exhyalanthrax afer feed on N. sertifer cocoons. (+)-Catechin 7-O-β-glucoside, isorhamnetin 3,7,4′-tri-O-β-glucoside, kaempferol 3,7,4′-tri-O-β-glucoside and quercetin 3,7,4′-tri-O-β-glucoside can be isolated from the hemolymph of N. sertifer. None of these compounds is present in the needles of P. sylvestris, therefore, these flavonoid glucosides are produced by the larvae from flavonoid monoglucosides and (+)-catechin obtained from the pine needles. The European pine sawfly typically hatches from early April to late May. The larvae feed on existing pine needles. When they mature, they spin into cocoons. In the fall, they leave their cocoons as wasp-like creatures and mate. September and October are when the female lays eggs in pine trees for the next generation. Their favorite trees are Scots pine, red pine, Jack pine, and Japanese pines.