Apethymus serotinus

Recorded throughout much of Britain north to southern Scotland (Musgrove, 2023).

The abdomen in Apethymus serotinus is entirely black. The antennae are black with segments six to eight white in the female and also sometimes in the male. The hind tibiae are white basally contrasting with the black apices.

This species overwinters as an egg on oaks. Eggs are inserted into the bark of twigs and the larval Apethymus serotinus feed on the young leaves.

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Size: 8 - 10mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: September to November

Plant associations: Quercus spp. (oaks)

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 Natural England, unpublished

Nielsen, J. C. 1913: Über das Vorkommen einer Blattwespe (Emphytus braccatus Gmel.) in Eichenpflanzungen. - Naturwissenschaftliche Zeitschrift für Forst- und Landwirtschaft, Stuttgart 11(2): 554-557