Ametastegia equiseti

Recorded widely across much of mainland Britain to northern Scotland (Musgrove, 2023).

Ametastegia equiseti is the only one in this genus with a red-girdled black body and orange hind femora.

Larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous plants. Larvae of equiseti are similar to Ametastegia glabrata but have a black spot on the dorsum of the anal segment.

Jump to other Ametastegia species

Size: 5.5 - 7mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: bi- or multivoltine. May to August

Plant associations: Chenopodium album (fat hen), Polygonum persicaria (redshank), Rumex acetosella (sheep's sorrel) and Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife).

The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)

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

Musgrove, A.J. 2023. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 2: The Athaliidae and the Tenthredinidae (excluding Nematinae). Natural England, unpublished