Dolerus haematodes - Bloody Griever

Recorded widely across all of mainland Britain (Musgrove, 2023).

A conspicuous metallic species. In females, the black head and abdomen have a blue-green sheen and the pronotum is marked with red. Males are entirely black but the thorax and head can appear tarnished with metallic greens, blues and bronzes. In both sexes, the lateral lobes of the mesonotum are well punctured. Males best determined by penis valve shape.

Dolerus haematodes feed on grasses and sedges 

Jump to other Dolerus species

Size: 9-10 mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: March to June

Plant associations: Cyperaceae and Graminaceae (sedges and grasses).

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 Natural England, unpublished