Calameuta pallipes - Pale-legged Stem-sawfly

Perhaps the most widely distributed cephid in Britain, with records as far north as the Moray Firth (Musgrove, 2022). The smaller of the two Calameuta species present in Britain and Ireland. Calameuta pallipes has the hind tibia predominantly yellow, whereas filiformis has black tibia. The males have broad yellow apical bands on the tergites. However, females have an entirely black abdomen.

Larvae feed inside the stems of plants but it is not known which species.

Jump to other Cephidae

Size: 4 - 10mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to July

Plant associations: Larva unrecorded. Presumed to feed on Graminacea.

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. 2022. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 1: families other than Tenthredinidae. Natural England, unpublished