Eutomostethus ephippium
A small sawfly with two distinct colour forms. The northern race has an entirely black body, whilst in the south the thorax and mesopleura are orange-red. Only females known in Britain and Ireland.
Larvae feed on soft grasses such as annual meadow grass.
Size: 4 - 5mm
Status: Common
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: Possibly bivoltine, May to June and August
Plant associations: Gramineae (grasses, especially Poa spp.)
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- Eutomostethus ephippium Credit Andrew Green
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- Eutomostethus ephippium Credit Andrew Green
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- Eutomostethus ephippium Credit Andrew Green
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- Eutomostethus ephippium Credit Andrew Green
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