Turnip Sawfly

Turnip Sawfly 

(Athalia colibri), an insect of the order Hy-menoptera; a serious pest of rape, turnip, cabbage, and other plants of the family Cruciferae. The reddish yellow body is 7–8 mm long; the head is black. The larva, which reaches 25 mm in length, is dirty green in coloration and has 11 pairs of legs. The turnip sawfly is distributed in North Africa, Europe, and Asia (Asia Minor, East Asia, and a narrow strip along the southern border of the USSR). In the USSR the insect is encountered everywhere except in the northernmost regions. There are usually two generations a year; three are produced in the south. The first generation is able to fly by May or early June, and the second by July or August. Turnip sawflies feed on the nectar of cruciferous and umbelliferous plants. The female deposits 200 to 300 eggs under the epidermis of the underside of leaves.

Control measures include deep autumn plowing, destruction of weeds, and treatment of plantings with insecticides.