Pear sawfly (pear slug)

You will find olive-green, slug-like larvae with the rear end curled upward feeding in groups on the upper surfaces of pear and cherry leaves. Larvae are covered in a sticky slime that makes them resemble slugs. Mature larvae are orange-yellow and about three-eighths inch long. Skeletonized leaves have only veins remaining. Damage first appears in late April to May as sawfly adults emerge from soil pupae.

Hand-pick larvae when populations are light and damage is concentrated. Encourage natural enemies including parasitic wasps and predatory insects. Time applications for May when larvae are feeding. Dormant soil cultivation in fall and winter destroys some pupae. Avoid broad-spectrum sprays.