Hoplocampa chrysorrhoea - Yellowbellied Sloe-borer

North to southern Scotland, seemingly common and widespread. Benson (1958) stated that Prunus spinosa was the larval foodplant, although Liston et al. (2019) have questioned the evidence underpinning this, and suggested that Crataegus might be the host instead (Musgrove, 2024).

The abdomen is mostly yellow underneath. The antennae are infuscate. The legs are yellow with the apices of the tibiae and tarsae slightly infuscate. The hind tarsus is about as long as the hind tibia. Males can be determined by the penis valve.

Hoplocampa chrysorrhoea larvae feed either in the fruits of wild plums and sloes or hawthorn fruits.

Jump to other species of Hoplocampa

Size: 4 to 4.5mm

GB IUCN status: Least Concern
GB rarity status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: April to May

Plant associations: Prunus spinosa, or Crataegus sp. (blackthorn and/or hawthorn)

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 Natural England, unpublished