saw·fly (sô fl  )n. Any of various hymenopterous insects, chiefly of the family Tenthredinidae, the females of which have sawlike ovipositors used for cutting into plant tissue to deposit their eggs. |
sawfly [ˈsɔːˌflaɪ]
n pl -flies
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any of various hymenopterous insects of the family Tenthredinidae and related families, the females of which have a sawlike ovipositor
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  sawfly - insect whose female has a saw-like ovipositor for inserting eggs into the leaf or stem tissue of a host planthymenopter, hymenopteran, hymenopteron, hymenopterous insect - insects having two pairs of membranous wings and an ovipositor specialized for stinging or piercing family Tenthredinidae, Tenthredinidae - sawflies birch leaf miner, Fenusa pusilla - small black sawfly native to Europe but established in eastern United States; larvae mine the leaves of birches causing serious defoliation |
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