Athalia rosae - Turnip Tigress
Recorded commonly north to central Scotland, with sporadic records further north. A well-known pest in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it then became rare in much of north-west Europe, before increasing again from the mid 20th century (Musgrove, 2023). Athalia rosae is resident in Britain but also migrates in large numbers from the near continent.
The largest of the Athalia species and the only one with a chequerboard pattern on the scutum, the front and back lobes being orange and the lateral lobes being mainly black. All tibia are black at the apex.
Females can oviposit large numbers of ova in a short time. Larvae feed on a wide range of cruciferous plants eating from holes in the leaf blade rather than at the margins.
Size: 6-8mm
GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: April to October
Plant associations: Cruciferae including Raphanus (Radishes), Rorippa amphibia (Great Yellow-cress), Sinapis alba (White Mustard), Sisymbrium officinale (Hedge Mustard)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
- Athalia rosae Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae
- Athalia rosae 1st instar larvae on Mustard species Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae ova on Mustard species Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae late instar typical larva Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae late instar typical larva Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae late instar typical larva Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae late instar pale larva Credit Andrew Green
- Athalia rosae late instar pale larva Credit Andrew Green
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 Natural England, unpublished