Abia sericea
Abia sericea is similar to Abia candens and more common. The antennae in both sexes are usually all yellow and never with segment three bicolorous. In Abia candens the antennae are dark on the apical and basal segments with middle segments yellow.
Larvae feed on scabious. In experiments, the larvae have been shown to feed readily on cut-leaved teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) which occurs in the British Isles as a bird seed or garden escape. Abia sericea larvae have 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 sericea female Credit David Plummer
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- Abia sericea male Credit Keith Balmer
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- Abia sericea female Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia sericea male Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia sericea male Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia sericea ovipositing Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia sericea larva Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia sericea larva Credit John A Petyt
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- Abia sericea egg pockets Credit John A Petyt
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]