Overview

• Researchers at Heriot-Watt University report that female sawflies use a reciprocating, two-blade ovipositor that cuts soft plant tissue while deflecting tougher internal structures through tooth geometry alone.
• The findings, published in Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, were based on electron microscopy and 3D imaging of species including Rhogogaster scalaris and Hoplocampa brevis.
• A 400× scaled prototype tested on human‑tissue analogues showed similar ultimate stress threshold behavior, cutting below the threshold and displacing material above it.
• An interview and survey of surgeons found 86% citing blood-impaired visibility and nearly 80% worried about accidental tissue damage, underscoring demand for passive selectivity in tools.
• The team developed an analytical model and is seeking funding and surgical collaboration to build prototypes, noting no clinical device exists yet and further translational testing is required.