Euura oligospila

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.

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

Status: Widespread

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to June, July to August

Plant associations: Salix spp. (willows)

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

Muche, W.H., 1974. Die Nematinengattungen Pristiphora Latreille, Pachynematus Konow und Nematus Panzer (Hym., Temthredinidae). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, 21(1/3), pp.1-137.

Prous, M., Liston, A., Kramp, K., Savina, H., Vårdal, H. and Taeger, A., 2019. The West Palaearctic genera of Nematinae (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). ZooKeys, 875, p.63-127

Prous, M., Liston, A., Mutanen, M. 2021. Revision of the West Palaearctic Euura bergmanni and oligospila groups (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. http://zoobank.org/1459B177-AF2B-4D39-9483-E8BA21E70E67