This group of Sawfly Larvae were high up in the gum tree and spotted when we were walking through the Laratinga Wetlands. Information from CSIRO "The term spitfire is most commonly a slang term for several species of sawfly larvae from the family Pergidae. Despite the name, the larvae are not from a fly at all but actually a wasp with four wings and no stinger. And the larvae, while they might look like it, aren?t really caterpillars. The baby sawfly larvae make their homes in gumtrees feeding on eucalyptus leaves and gather in large clusters to appear larger and help protect themselves from predators like birds. The larvae grow to a length of about 5 cms. They pupate in a dark brown cocoon in the leaf litter, and the pupal duration can be two or three years before an adult wasp emerges."