Dolerus aericeps

In the female the mesonotum is red at least on the side lobes and with a black scutellum. Usually the front lobe is red but black is not uncommon. The mesopleurae are heavily cratered in the middle. The abdomen is orange with a black base to the sawsheath. The female is similar to Dolerus madidus and Dolerus triplicatus. In madidus and triplicatus the legs are entirely black, whereas aericeps has red about the knees.

In the male the thorax is entirely black. The knees and most of the length of the tibiae are red. The head is bronzey. Dolerus aericeps is one of only two Dolerus species found on the wing in mid to late summer. This species is best identified by the genitalia.

 Larvae feed on horsetails in wet areas.

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Status: Common

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to September

Plant associations: Equisitum sp. (horsetails - wet habitat species)

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