Heterarthrus nemoratus
Recorded widely across all of mainland Britain, although with no records from south-west England to date (Musgrove, 2023).
Males of this species are unknown. On the thorax the lateral mesoscutal lobes are black and the mesepisternum mostly so. The abdomen is black with at most white flecks posteriorly on the tergites. The fore wing is yellowish basally, clear apically and infuscate behind the stigma. The antennae have 10 to 11 segments. The hind femora, tibiae and tarsi are mainly white, although the bases of the femora and the coxae are black.
Eggs are deposited in the leaf edge. The larvae create a blister mine with a characteristic reddish tinge and pupate inside the leaf.
Jump to other species of Heterarthrus
Size: 4 - 6mm
GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: Univoltine, May to July
Plant associations: Betula spp. (birches)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
- Heterarthrus nemoratus female Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus nemoratus female Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus nemoratus female Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus nemoratus female Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus nemoratus leaf mine Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus nemoratus mine Credit Andrew Billington
- Heterarthrus nemoratus larva Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus nemoratus larva Credit Ian Andrews
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
Liston, A., Mutanen, M. and Viitasaari, M., 2019. On the taxonomy of Heterarthrus (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), with a review of the West Palaearctic species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 72, p.83.
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 Natural England, unpublished