Empria pallimacula

Recorded widely across much of mainland Britain, as well as Orkney and Skye (Musgrove, 2023).

A black sawfly with pairs of white patches on tergites 2 to 5 (or 6). There is usually white on the labrum, pronotal margin and the hind margins of the tergites. Hind tibia pale at the base and apex. Antennal segment 8 is more than 3 times as long as broad. Front of clypeus deeply incised and with a small inner tooth.

Empria pallimacula larvae feed on meadowsweet.

Jump to other Empria species

Size: 5 - 7mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to July

Plant associations: Filipendula ulmaria (meadowsweet)

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 Natural England, unpublished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.