Euura oligospila (Förster, 1854)

EUURA OLIGOSPILA GROUP

Euura oligospila - Immaculate Willow Nematine

Nematus oligospilus Förster, 1854
Pteronidea angustiserra Lindqvist, 1969
Nematus angustiserra (Lindqvist, 1969)
Pteronidea straminea Lindqvist, 1958
Nematus microcercus Thomson, 1871
Nematus salicivorus Cameron, 1882
Euura angustiserra (Lindqvist, 1969)

North to Orkney. One of the most frequently recorded Euura species. Identification features have remained reasonably consistent over time, although larvae and females are similar to respondens and so there may have been some over-recording vs this species that was not previously recognised. At the present though it seems as though records of oligospila should be assessed largely at face value (Musgrove, 2024).

The species is usually green in life turning to light yellow when dead but can be yellow when alive also. Euura oligospila is best determined by examination of the saw or penis valves (see Prous et al, 2021). The female has the dorsal surface of tergites one to eight either completely pale or with a narrow black medial stripe, whereas in Euura frenalis the dorsum is usually completely black. The malar gap is less than 1.5 times the width of the front ocellus. The hind tibiae and tarsi are more or less darkened.

The male has the pronotum extensively pale. The stigma is also more or less uniformly pale.

Euura oligospila larvae feed on willows.

Jump to other species in the oligospila group

Size: Female: 4.5 - 6.5, male: 4.5 - 6.0mm.

GB IUCN status: Least Concern
GB rarity status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to June, July to August

Plant associations: Salix spp. (willows)