Malus domestica, Loenen ge © Arnold Grosscurt

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oviposition in a young fruit, just below the calice segments. The young larva makes a gallery just below the epidermis. When the apple grows the epidermis covering the gallery ruptures and an elongated scar is formed. After several days the larva moves to a nearby fruit and bores a gallery down to the ovary, where the seeds are devoured; this is repeated several times. Scarred apples remain in the three, the later bored ones fall off. Overwintering and subsequent pupation in the soil.

host plants

Rosaceae, monophagous

Malus domestica.

phenology

galleries are made in end-April, early May.

BENELUX

all Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2015).

distribution within Europe

almost all of Europe, but not in Ireland and the Mediterranean Region (Fauna Europaea, 2015).

larva

white, head and anal segment shining black

notes

the apple sawfly is an important orchard pest. The frass is moist and has a characteristic smell, distinguishing the damage from that by the codling moth, Cydia pomonella, with dry and odourless frass.

references

Miles (1932a), Petherbridge (1928a), Pschorn-Walcher & Altenhofer (2000a, 2006a), Robbins (1991a), Roques, Cleary, Matsiakh & Eschem (2017a), Vincent, Babendreier, Świergiel ao (2019a).