Abia fasciata
A blackish species with a violet sheen. Females have a white propodeum and metanotum. Wings are milky at the base with a dark central band and clear apex. Males are very rare but lack the velvety patches on the tergites that are found on males of other Abia species.
Larvae feed on honeysuckle, snowberry and pheasantberry, etc.
Size: approx. 10mm
Status: Local
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: Uni- or bivoltine, April to August
Plant associations: Lonicera spp., Symphoricarpos spp. and Leycesteria spp. (honeysuckle, snowberry and pheasantberry, etc.)
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- Abia fasciata female Credit Paul Tabor
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- Abia fasciata female Credit Paul Tabor
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- Abia fasciata female Credit Chris Sellen
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]