Abia candens
Similar to Abia sericea but less common. The antennae in both sexes are dark on the apical and basal segments with middle segments yellow. In Abia sericea the antennae are usually all yellow and never with segment three bicolorous.
Larvae feed on scabious. Abia candens larvae lack a row of black dots on the dorsal midline.
Size: approx. 10mm
Status: Local
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: May to August
Plant associations: Succisa pratensis and probably Knautia arvensis (devil's bit scabious, field scabious)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
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- Abia candens female Credit Wendy Carter
References:
Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London
Liston A, Knight G, Sheppard D, Broad G, Livermore L (2014) Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Sawflies, ‘Symphyta’. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1168. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1168
Hackston, M (2014). Family Cimbicidae: Key to the British species. https://sites.google.com/site/mikesinsectkeyshymenoptera/Home/hymenoptera/symphyta/superfamily-tenthredinoidea/family-cimbicidae [Accessed 25Apr2019]