Or maybe I should I titled this blog ‘Last One Munching’. I have been watching these Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana) larvae for the past few days, and how they have chobbled on my rose leaves and how they have grown fat on them. This is the final instar stage and the others had dropped off the leaf into the garden border to pupate, and this was the last remaining one, still merrily chomping away. This was yesterday afternoon. This afternoon it had gone, too. Below are some images I took a few days earlier.
I couldn’t believe that with all those rose-bush leaves they were all trying to nibble on what little was left of this one.
September 2017, rear garden, Staffordshire, England.
Nature Journeys 
Amazing shots! Hope your rose bush recovers!
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Thank you 🙂 They always seem to, and are not that badly affected by them.
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Great series, and wonderful photos, Pete!
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Thank you very much, Laura 🙂 Although my roses suffer a little, I still find them fascinating.
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My word! These are as — fascinating — as caterpillars. Apart from the markings and all that, I was interested in the way the larva has its nether end up in the air in the first photo. I’ve noticed dragonflies doing this. Have you ever read about that behavior having a purpose for the sawfly larva, or did you just catch it stretching? 🙂
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This is a pose most sawfly larvae appear to adopt, and it maybe to put predators off from eating them. Please see more below if you wish:
https://petehillmansnaturephotography.wordpress.com/2016/07/10/balancing-act/
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Wonderful photos Pete. I assume you enjoyed your roses before these ‘critters’ became active.
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Thank you, Belinda 🙂 They have been active most of the summer, but although they eat very well, the roses suffer relatively little harm.
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Voracious! I found dozens of sawfly larvae on my dogwood… ahem, I didn’t take pictures. 😉
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They do really eat like there is no tomorrow. Thank goodness they are climbing roses with plenty of leaves 🙂
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They even look cute on your roses! Not sure that I could have resisted picking them off though.
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Thank you 🙂 I just let nature take its course, for they damage but few leaves.
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Great shots of these colourful and communal folk, Pete!
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Thank you very much, Michael 🙂
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Fantastic images. So sharp 🙂
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Thank you, Vicki 🙂
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Superb shots, Pete. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Wonderful macro Pete! In the first pic it looks like the little larvae’s brakes failed and he shot down the leaf and is now hanging on for dear life!
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Lol! 🙂 Thank you, Jude 🙂
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