Dineura virididorsata
The head is variable from completely pale except for around the ocelli and postoccipital grooves to black marked across the top of the head down to the tortuli. The mesonotum varies from completely pale to completely dark. The abdomen is variable from only tergite 1 dark medially, to black on all anterior tergites, except the lateral faces, with only tergites eight to ten pale dorsally. The antennae and legs are principally pale.
Dineura virididorsata larvae feed on silver birch and downy birch.
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Size: Female: 5 - 8mm, male: 5 - 7mm
Status: Widespread
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: May to June
Plant associations: Betula spp. (birches)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
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- Dineura viridodorsata larva (Austrian specimen) Credit Rob Edmunds
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
Liston, A., Prous, M. and Vardal, H., 2019. The West Palaearctic Dineura species, focussing on Sweden (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). Zootaxa, 4612(4), pp.501-517.