Pristiphora laricis - Small Larch Sawyer, Small Larch Sawfly
Pristiphora laricis group

North to northern Scotland, seemingly widespread although could have been somewhat over-recorded as friesei was not featured in Benson (1958) (Musgrove, 2024).

This species is extremely similar to Pristiphora friesei. Pristiphora laricis tends to be paler with a pale labrum and at least in the female the pronotum is mostly pale. The flagellum is 2.5 to 3.2 times as long as the width of the head.

Pristiphora laricis larvae feed on various larches.

Jump to other species of Pristiphora

Size: Assumed 4.0 - 6.5mm

GB IUCN status: Least Concern
GB rarity status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: April to August

Plant associations: Larix spp. (various larches)

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 Natural England, unpublished

Prous, M., Kramp, K., Vikberg, V. and Liston, A., 2017. north-Western Palaearctic species of Pristiphora (hymenoptera, tenthredinidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, Vol. 59