Ovipositor of sawflies for the design and manufacture of enhanced surgical tools

Last updated: 8 February 2022

About the research

Larvae of sawflies feed on plants; females often lay eggs inside the plant tissue. Ovipositors of many sawflies have characteristic shapes that are seen in saws used for cutting various materials. Some saws in these insects however, look different which might suggest new or modified designs of cutting instruments. The aim of the project is therefore to study morphology and structure of ovipositors of selected species of sawflies, model them, and simulate their mechanical characteristics. Lessons learned from this initial work will be translated into the manufacture of tools at a larger scale especially for medical applications.

Lead image: Tip of ovipositor of Janus femoratus (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Cephidae)