Hoplocampa ariae - Whitebeam Berry-borer

North to Yorkshire. Probably occurs widely on the foodplant although not well-recorded. It is unknown to what extent this species has preferences for different whitebeam species in Britain (Musgrove, 2024).

The abdomen is largely pale but the basal tergites may be marked with black. Wings are yellowish (creamy white in the similar Hoplocampa alpina). Sunken parts of the mesonotum are are mainly pale in the female but more or less black in the male. Males can be determined by the penis valves.

Hoplocampa ariae larvae feed on the fruits of broad-leaved rowans.

Jump to other species of Hoplocampa

Size: 4.5 to 6.5mm

GB IUCN status: Near Threatened
GB rarity status: Nationally Scarce

Distribution: England, Ireland

Flight period: May to June

Plant associations: Sorbus aria and possibly other Sorbus spp. (rowans)

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

Liston, A., Prous, M. and Vårdal, H., 2019. A review of west palaearctic Hoplocampa species, focussing on Sweden (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). Zootaxa, 4615(1), pp.1-45.

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 Natural England, unpublished