Yellow-headed Spruce Sawfly - The City of Red Deer

The yellow-headed spruce sawfly is currently prevalent in Red Deer. Larvae are 16 - 20 mm in length and have yellowish-brown heads and shiny olive green bodies with paired greyish-green lines the length of the body. Larvae feed on new foliage and then move to the old foliage of white and blue spruce trees. Damage can be unsightly and often extensive, with spruce needles appearing brown in colour.

There is one generation of yellow-headed spruce sawfly per year. Adults emerge by early to mid-summer. Repeated attacks over several seasons can cause long-term damage to the spruce tree.

Here are several ways to control the yellow-headed spruce sawfly using Integrated Pest Management methods:

Scrape off and dispose of larval clusters on your tree trunks.
Use high pressure water from a garden hose to dislodge larvae from the tree.
Inquire about other control methods at local nurseries and landscape companies.

Yellow-headed Spruce Sawfly information sheet