Dolerus harwoodi

The only records of this species are a series from Speyside between 1943 and 1949. There have been no more records at time of writing. However, this is an early-flying species and it may not have been sought by entomologists early enough in the year (Musgrove, 2023).

A cooler climate, northern species. Dolerus harwoodi is an all black species. The female with dense hairs on the head, mesonotum and mesopleura that are at least as long as the diameter of an ocellus. The male has sparse hair. Males best determined by the penis valve.
Larvae are unknown in Britain and Ireland but feed on Pill Sedge (Carex pilulifera) in Poland and other sedges are a possibility.

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Size: 8.5-10mm

GB IUCN Status: Regionally Extinct
GB Rarity Status: Extinct

Distribution: Scotland

Flight period: April to June

Plant associations: Carex spp. including Pill Sedge (Carex pilulifera)

References:

Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London

Borowski, J.; Slawski, M. 2018: Materials to the knowledge of Polish sawflies. The genus Dolerus Panzer, 1801 (Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Tenthredinidae, Selandriinae). Part XVI - Dolerus harwoodi Benson, 1947. - World Scientific News 111: 167-174.

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 Natural England, unpublished