Pristiphora pallidiventris - Yellow-bellied Sawyer
Pristiphora pallidiventris group

North to Shetland, seemingly common and widespread. Benson (1958) noted the species as occurring "even to the summit of the highest Scottish mountains." (Musgrove, 2024).

In the female, this species is rather variable and the abdomen can range from nearly completely black to completely yellow. The sawsheath is broad and apically emarginate when viewed from above. Males can be distinguished by the penis valves.

Pristiphora pallidiventris larvae feed on meadowsweet, wood avens, water avens, raspberry and brambles.

Jump to other species of Pristiphora

Size: 4.5 - 6mm

GB IUCN status: Least Concern
GB rarity status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: April to June and July to September

Plant associations: Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Geum rivale, Rubus idaeus and Rubus fruticosus (meadowsweet, wood avens, water avens, raspberry and brambles)

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.D., 1981. Pristiphora (Lygaeophora) lanifica (Zaddach, 1882) new to Britain (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). Entomologist's gazette.

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 Natural England, unpublished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