Halidamia affinis

Recorded widely throughout England and Wales, as well as in the central lowland belt of Scotland (Musgrove, 2023).

Males exist in Europe but are more frequent in the south of the range. Mostly parthenogenic in Britain. A black and orange sawfly. Head and thorax black with orange on the tegulae metapleura and posteriorly on the mesopleuron. The abdomen is orange but with the first, second and apical tergites blackened to some extent. Legs orange with infuscated tarsi.

Halidamia affinis larvae feed on cleavers and hedge bedstraw.

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Size: 5 - 6.5mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: April to June

Plant associations: Galium aparine and Galium mollugo (cleavers and hedge bedstraw)

p>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, 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 Natural England, unpublished