Empria fletcheri

A seemingly rare northern species, with just seven records to date between Sutherland and Glasgow (Musgrove, 2023). 

A black sawfly with pairs of white patches on tergites 2 to 6 (or 7). The labrum, hind margin of pronotum are white. The tegulae are also marked with white. The clypeus is strongly punctured and with a large central tooth. Antennae about 2.5 times the breadth of the head. Claws with a small subbasal tooth (check all legs). The stigma is brown. In the female, the apical tergites are red-brown.

Empria fletcheri larvae feed on birches, especially Downy Birch and Dwarf Birch.

Jump to other Empria species

Size: 6 - 7mm

GB IUCN Status: Data Deficient
GB Rarity Status: Nationally Rare

Distribution: Scotland

Flight period: May to June

Plant associations: Birches, especially Downy Birch (Betula  pubescens) and Dwarf Birch (Betula nana).

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 Natural England, unpublished

Prous, Marko & Heidemaa, Mikk & Soon, Villu. (2011). Empria longicornis species group: Taxonomic revision with notes on phylogeny and ecology (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). Zootaxa. 2756. 1-39. 10.11646/zootaxa.2756.1.1.

Prous, M. 2012: Taxonomy and phylogeny of the sawfly genus Empria (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). - Dissertationes Biologicae Universitatis Tartuensis, Tartu 222: 192 pp.