Arge pagana
One of the two yellow abdomened species that lack a black blotch under the stigma. The pronotum, tegulae and parts of the legs are suffused with black. Wings more or less smoky.
The variation in the degree of dark markings gives two subspecies in Britain. The paler Arge pagana stephensii form has more extensive yellowing on the labrum, middle and hind coxae, femora and tibiae and sometimes upper mesopleural parts, pronotum and mesonotal lobes. Stephensii differs from all known populations of Arge pagana in the Western Palearctic. It cannot be discounted that stephensii may be a different species either endemic to the British Isles or introduced from outside of the Western Palearctic. The darker Arge pagana pagana form has head, thorax and legs entirely black. It is suspected that the two forms maybe separate species but further study is required.
Larvae feed on roses and are difficult to distinguish from Arge ochropus. The scar in the rose stem left by the ovipositing has a double row of cells in pagana and only a single row in ochropus Larvae feed gregariously on the young leaves first leaving only the midribs.
Status: Locally common
Distribution: England, Wales
Flight period: May to September
Plant associations: Rosa spp. (roses)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
- Arge pagana male
- Arge pagana male
- Arge pagana reared
- Arge pagana reared
- Arge pagana late instar larva
- Arge pagana early instar larva
- Arge pagana early instar larva
- Arge pagana egg scar Credit Jane Thomas
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
Schedl, W. 1983: Zur Unterscheidung der Arten der Arge pagana (Panz.)- Gruppe. (Insecta: Hymenoptera, Argidae). - Gortania, Atti del Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale., Udine 4[1982]: 177-184.
Servadei, A. 1934: Contributo alla conoscenza dei Tenthredinidi (Hymenoptera Symphyta) delle Rose. II. Arge pagana Panz. - Bolletino del Laboratorio di Entomologia del R. Istituto Superiore Agrario di Bologna., Bologna 6: 179-208