What information do you have that indicates this wasp is chewing on the leaves?

Dan

Looks like a sawfly to me. Blasting the plants with water will dislodge the larvae. You could also manually remove or squish them. If you absolutely have to use poison, Malathion will work well on sawfly.

Dan, I just assumed that this was the bug eating my hedge as the hedge is infested with them! I just have to hit the side of the hedge and hundreds of them go flying in the air. There is also an infestation of caterpillars on these hedges. I assumed that they were separate pests, but maybe they are sawfly larvae?

Check the legs on the larvae. If they have 5 or less prolegs they are not sawfly. If they have 6 or more they are sawfly larvae.

In that case, they are definitely caterpillars. I guess I can spray them with some BTK ASAP. The problem I have is that all the caterpillars are inside leaves that are rolled around them. Not sure if the BTK can get to them in there.

As for the sawflies, I might have to use Malathion then, as the insecticidal soap doesn't seem to work at all. Unless someone else knows of a way to kill sawflies more organically?

I'd be happy to be wrong,, but I'm going off the red femur & thinking some sort of sphecid wasp. If there are no little green 'caterpillar' - like larvae on underside chewing leaves, maybe not a sawfly. Distance IDs on the Hymenoptera are very hard and best to catch one and take into Co Extension office. And look closer at leaves during day and at night with a flashlight.

Dan

I missed several of the replies here. I don't understand the In that case, they are definitely caterpillars. Are you saying they are not sawfly larvae?

Dan

Hi Dan,

I just went outside in the last couple hours and counted 5 prolegs on them. Therefore, can we assume they are caterpillars? They can also spin silk and are creating little "tents" to live in when they curl up a leaf. Any thoughts?

As for the other flying insects all over the hedge. They certainly look like (and sound like) wasps. I wonder why they are so interested in my hedge? Do these wasps eat leaves? I do notice that many of the affected leaves have a small oily splotch on them as well....

The leaf-chewing critters sound like leafrollers -- they're small caterpillars. Find a bunched up leaf & squish.

The wasps are there to collect any leafrollers that they can. Those leafrollers are prime food for the wasp larvae.

Got it now - agreed with jean that you likely have leafrollers.

The wasp in your original pic is likely a predator of these caterpillars and is enjoying the bounty. From the number of wasps that fly off, they have told all their friends and are feasting. on your bounty. If it were me, I'd let the wasps do their work unless the chewing gets, say, 25% worse. These wasps are doing the killing for you, and their young will hatch and the adults will kill more. Be careful with anything you spray not to hit the wasps - they are good guys.

Dan

Thanks alot for the info everyone! I think the mystery has been solved! Apparently, leafrollers are quite common around here. Incidentally, I have been reading up about leafrollers and, as Dan says, the wasps are the good guys! Here is an interesting article regarding the relationship between these wasps and leafrollers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wasps, Roses Team up Against Bad Bugs

OP said " Apparently, leafrollers are quite common around here. "

To tell the truth, they're common everywhere!