Pristiphora sermola - Obtuse Sawyer
Pristiphora micronematica group

Only a handful of records, from widely scattered locations across England and southern Scotland. The species was not included in Benson (1958) meaning that other records may have gone unidentified in the absence of readily available identification resources (Musgrove, 2024).

Species limits in the micronematica group are unclear. The head and thorax are densely and evenly sculptured. The sawsheath is sub-parallel sided in dorsal view and slightly emarginate either side of the medial projection.

Pristiphora sermola larvae feed on goat willow and tea-leaved willow.

Jump to other species of Pristiphora

Size: 4.5 - 5.00mm

GB IUCN status: Data Deficient
GB rarity status: Nationally Rare

Distribution: England, Scotland

Flight period: Assumed April to June

Plant associations: Salix caprea and Salix phylicifolia (goat willow and tea-leaved willow)

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 Natural England, unpublished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