Rhogogaster chlorosoma
Recorded widely throughout most of mainland Britain, as well as in Orkney (Musgrove, 2023).
This species is very similar to scalaris. Rhogogaster chlorosoma is generally less black-marked on the abdomen but pale scalaris specimens overlap with dark chlorosoma species. Males of the two species can be determined by the length of the plantar lobes (tarsal pulvilli) on the hind tarsi. In chlorosoma males the plantar lobe of one tarsal segment is about one-half the length of the following tarsal segment. In scalaris, it is one-third. In females, there is some crossover in this characteristic.
The black markings on the top of the head form an enclosed figure-of-eight.
Larvae are recorded from a broad range of trees and herbs including alders, poplars, willows, rowans and meadowsweet.
Jump to other Rhogogaster species
Size: 10 - 13mm
GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales
Flight period: May to July
Plant associations: Polyphagous. Alnus spp., Populus spp., Salix spp., Sorbus spp. and Filipendula ulmaria (various trees and herbs)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma male Credit Andrew Green
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma male Credit Andrew Green
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma male Credit Andrew Green
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma male Credit Andrew Green
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma Credit Alan Outen
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma detail Credit Andrew Green
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma detail Credit Andrew Green
- Rhogogaster chlorosoma penis valve Credit Andrew Green
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. 2023. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 2: The Athaliidae and the Tenthredinidae (excluding Nematinae). Natural England, unpublished
Taeger, A. and Viitasaari, M., 2015. European Rhogogaster s. str., with notes on several Asian species (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). Zootaxa, 4013(3), pp.369-398.