Fenusa pumila

Widely recorded throughout mainland Britain, as well as the Inner Hebrides (Musgrove, 2023).

Males are rare. Antennae no longer than the thorax with the third segment twice as long as broad, but with the fourth and fifth segments each less than twice as long as broad.

Fenusa pumila larvae mine the leaves of birch trees with a preference for downy birch.

Jump to other Fenusa species

Size: 2.5 - 3.5mm

Status: Least Concern
Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: Bivoltine, May to June and July to August.

Plant associations: Betula spp. esp. Betula pubescens (birch esp. downy birch)

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 Natural England, unpublished