Birch sawfly larvae (aka the spotted regal sawfly)
(Edited)
Today I harvested some fruits from the tree. It was a birch, so I got nor apples neither lemons -- but those fancy spectacular larvae. Happily, Google helped me to identify those caterpillars quickly: it were birch sawfly larvae, or the spotted regal sawfly.
They do love the taste of birch leaves! wht else can I say... they look so, so spectacular that I could not stop shooting them. I made 4 captures using camera and macro lens, and 33 more using my wife's smartphone. Will look forward to see what will happen with said birch a few days later... The visuals may look funny but actually they are also scary.
| Latin name | Observation date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Nematus septentrionalis | 2026-07-29 | Gatchinskii district, Leningradskaya oblast, Russia |
| Link to original community | https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/386135640 |
|---|---|
| Latitude | Longitude |
| 59.20869820982254 | 30.39866458043826 |
Post goes for #Photofeed wildlife photography contest, Round 180
| location: | Vyritza, Russia | July 2026 | natural light |
| camera/lens: | Canon 5dm3 | Sigma 150mm | raw-conv |
| t 1/500 | f/2.8 | ISO 500 |
All images taken by me, copyright (c) @qwerrie
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What impressive photos
Ох же ж ты какой... ждет он с нетерпением посмотреть, как эти монстры съедят беззащитную березку... :)
И на каком сайте ты будешь показывать ужастики? 33 кадра сделал на смартфон...
Кстати, а у вас разве на березах яблоки и груши не растут?
У нас почвы бедные, глина сплошная и каменюки. Не знаю как у вас, а у нас ни груш, ни яблок, с берез родятся только листья и мелкие сучья. Но сучьям мы рады - лучшая растопка :)
Березу сегодня проверил - еще стоит!
ps. Сайт у меня только один, т.е. тут.
какой подробный ответ :) на все вопросы есть ответы.
Жесть, эти монстры сожрут дерево
Я бы поставил на дерево в этом матче :)
Как написал комментатор выше, во мне крепка вера что эти мухи добротно встроены в экосистему - а значит, хулы не будет.
По пивку? !BEER
Sending you some Ecency points. Please check your wallet.
How fast are they eating the leaves
Very fast. But they lose out competing to your commenting speed :)
!LOLZ 😉 The birch tree still stands, uneaten.
😀
Such interesting little guys!
They are very spectacular looking indeed. The good thing is we have many birch trees - they grow on their own in the wild and provide no harvest. But what if those guys did attack our apple tree and increased in number like the Mongol horde? Then I'd not keep my peace as I do now.
If they are a normal art of the ecosystem, I wouldn't worry. Also, caterpillars that eat all the leaves later in the season do less damage than those that destroy buds and developing leaves. We have species that strip tree leaves here but it does no major harm to the tree
I thought apprently so!