Strongylogaster filicis

Benson (1952) was only aware of a single record of this species, from Northumberland in 1873. There is an additional unconfirmed 1874 record from Glasgow, but no further confirmed records (Musgrove, 2023). Distributed in Central Europe and Scandinavia.

Tarsal claws have an inner tooth. The abdomen is black with some of the middle tergites banded across with red. The hind tibiae are white basally and black apically. Labrum yellow. The anal cells of the fore wing have a cross vein.

Strongylogaster filicis larvae feed on bracken.

Jump to other Strongylogaster species

Size: 8 - 11mm

GB IUCN Status: Regionally Extinct
GB Rarity Status: Extinct

Distribution: England

Flight period: May to June

Plant associations: Pteridium aquilinum (bracken)

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 Natural England, unpublished

Macek, J., 2010. Taxonomy, distribution and biology of selected European Dinax, Strongylogaster and Taxonus species (Hymenoptera: Symphyta). Acta Entomologica Musei Natioalis Pragae, 50(1).