Abia fasciata
Abia fasciata is 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 members of the Caprifoliaceae family which includes 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: Caprifoliaceae including...
Lonicera spp. (honeysuckles) (1)
Symphoricarpos spp. (snowberry) (1)
Leycesteria spp. (pheasantberry) (3)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
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- Abia fasciata Credit John o’Sullivan
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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
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- Abia fasciata female Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia fasciata Credit Leo Blommers
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- Abia fasciata larva Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia fasciata larva Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia fasciata larva Credit John A Petyt
References:
1. Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London
2. 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
3. Liston, A.D., Savina, H., Nagy, Z.T., Sonet, G. and Boeve, J.L., 2014. Taxonomy, phylogeny and host plants of some Abia sawflies (Hymenoptera, Cimbicidae). Zootaxa, 3821(1), pp.125-132.
4. 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]