There are 59 species of Argid sawflies in North America. They are most easily recognized as stout-bodied insects with three-segmented antennae; the third segment being very long. Many argid sawflies are black or dark colored, but a few have bright orange or red mimicking the coloration of the Braconid parasitic wasps.

Figure 1. Sawfly Ovipositor (Dolerus nitens)

Sawflies get their name from the saw-like nature of their ovipositor. This female is using her saw to slit open blades of grass wherein she lays her eggs. It took me many attempts before I was able to capture this process. It is virtually impossible to tell what is going on while these creatures are laying eggs, it's so quick, and the structures involved are so small.

Early springtime (mid-April) is the time to stalk these enchanting insects, in the American midwest, at least - I found many of these sawflies (Dolerus nitens) laying eggs in my dad's lawn at Oregon, Illinois.