Wheat stem sawfly

Introduction

Wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus) is native to North America and lives mostly in wheatgrass and annual grass family crops. It is best known as a pest of wheat and has caused extensive losses to wheat in the northern Great Plains. In Canada, it first damaged wheat near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and Souris, Manitoba in 1895. Within the wheats, Alberta spring wheat is most heavily attacked, and winter wheat has become a potential host within the last 2 years.

Find out about this pest’s lifecycle, crop damage, control, monitoring and best management practices.