Euura salicispurpureae - Purple Shoot-galler
amerinae group (formerly Euura purpureae Kopelke,1996)

Not yet confirmed from Britain but seems likely to occur, as known from Ireland. A potential confusion likely to occur as a result of name changes; former Euura purpureae (sensu Benson) is new Euura salicispurpureae (sensu Liston et al 2017), whilst old Pontania purpureae (sensu Benson) is new Euura purpureae (sensu Liston et al 2017). It is retained in this table solely for clarity (Musgrove, 2024).

See Liston et al (2017) for determination of adults. The host plants are widespread species.

Euura salicispurpureae larvae feed on shoots of purple willow and its hybrid with osier. This species causes the shoot to be weakly thickened and spindle shaped and each shoot contains only one larva.

Jump to other group amerinae species

Size: Female: 2.6 - 4.4mm, male: approx. 2.9 - 4.9mm

GB IUCN status: Not Evaluated
GB rarity status: Not Applicable

Distribution: Ireland

Flight period: Univoltine

Plant associations: Salix purpurea and Salix purpurea x viminalis (purple willow and its hybrid with osier)

The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)

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.D., Heibo, E., Prous, M., Vårdal, H., Nyman, T. and Vikberg, V., 2017. North European gall-inducing Euura sawflies (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae, Nematinae). Zootaxa, 4302(1), pp.1-115.

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. 2024. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 3: The Tenthredinidae (subfamily Nematinae). Natural England, unpublished