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.
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)
- Calameuta pallipes male Credit Andrew Green
- Calameuta pallipes male Credit Andrew Green
- Calameuta pallipes male Credit Andrew Green
- Calameuta pallipes male 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. 2022. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 1: families other than Tenthredinidae. Natural England, unpublished