Pristiphora maesta - Apple Sawyer
Species not placed in a group
North to Yorkshire but seldom recorded (Musgrove, 2024).
Females of this species is similar to Pristiphora biscalis. Pristiphora maestra species has pale cerci and at least a black clypeus. Colour mainly black but pale on the pronotum and the apex of the abdomen laterally and beneath. Males are best determined by examination of the penis valves.
Pristiphora maesta larvae feed socially on crab apple and apple trees.
Jump to other species of Pristiphora
Size: 5.5 - 7.0mm
GB IUCN status: Near Threatened
GB rarity status: None
Distribution: England
Flight period: April to May and possibly August
Plant associations: Malus sylvestris and Malus domestica (crab apples and apples)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
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- Pristiphora maesta larvae Credit Andy and Melissa Banthorpe
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- Pristiphora maesta larvae (Netherlands specimen) Credit Leo Blommers
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 Natural England, unpublished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, 59