Pamphilius balteatus - Dappled Rose Spinner

Historically, records were fairly widespread from south-east England to the Moray Firth, although it has been largely absent from the south-west and East Anglia, and very local in Wales. The species has only been recorded from six locations in the last 30 years (Musgrove, 2022).

Mostly a dark insect in both sexes but with the male lighter than the female. In the female tergites 4 and 5 are a lighter brown colour centrally. In the male at least tergite 4 and 5 are a lighter brown for most of the tergite. The head is mostly black in the female with yellow stripes and in the male the anterior part of the head as well as the genae are yellow. Forewing venation is mostly brown as is the stigma which may have darker marginal venation. See Viitasaari for full description.

Pamphilius balteatus larvae feed singly within a leaflet tube on thin-leaved roses.

Jump to other Pamphiliidae

Size: 7 - 10mm

GB IUCN Status: Vulnerable
GB Rarity Status: Nationally Rare

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May to June

Plant associations: Rosa spp. (roses - thin leaved species).

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. 2022. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 1: families other than Tenthredinidae. Natural England, unpublished

Viitasaari, M. ed., 2002. Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta), I: a review of the suborder, the Western Palaearctic taxa of Xyeloidea and Pamphilioidea. Tremex Press.