Dolerus germanicus

Recorded widely across all of mainland Britain. Observations have declined in recent years (Musgrove, 2023).

The abdomen is normally banded in red in the male and in the female red except for the base and apex which are more or less marked with black. The mesonotum has the side lobes red, but these are black in the northern England and Scotland specimens. The wings are strongly infuscate.

Larvae feed on wet habitat horsetails.

Jump to other Dolerus species

Size: 7 - 9mm

GB IUCN Status: Near Threatened
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to June

Plant associations: Equisetum 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

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 Natural England, unpublished