Nettle Root Weevil vs Oak Slug Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Nettle Root Weevil Oak Slug Sawfly
Scientific Name Phyllobius virideaeris Caliroa quercuscoccineae
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Curculionidae Tenthredinidae
Size 3-5 mm 4-5 mm (adult)
Habitat Hedgerows Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Nettle Root Weevil

A bright green-scaled weevil found on nettles and other vegetation in spring. Extremely common but the scales wear off with age revealing black cuticle. Adults chew leaf edges.

💡

Did You Know?

Fresh specimens are brilliant metallic green, but old worn individuals look like completely different black beetles.

Oak Slug Sawfly

A slug-like sawfly larva that skeletonizes oak leaves in North America. Severe infestations cause browning of the canopy by midsummer.

💡

Did You Know?

The slimy larval coating deters most predators except for a few specialized parasitoid wasps.