Tenthredo arcuata
One of a complex of four species: arcuata, brevicornis, notha. Males of the four species cannot always be reliably separated, though Taeger has produced a key to males on the continent. Females of Tenthredo notha can be separated by the shape of the hypopygium. Tenthredo arcuata and brevicornis females can be distinguished by the shape of the saw teeth.
Larvae of the three species probably all feed on clovers but larvae of brevicornis are unknown.
Size: approx. 9 - 11mm
Status: Common
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: Uni- or bivoltine, April to June and sometimes July to August
Plant associations: Trifolium repens (white clover and possibly other clovers/trefoils)
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- Tenthredo arcuata brevicornis male agg
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- Tenthredo arcuata female
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- Tenthredo arcuata brevicornis male agg
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
Fekete, K. (2018) Beginner’s guide to identifying British Tenthredo, Natural History Museum, London. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/content/dam/nhmwww/take-part/identification-trainers/sawflies-guide-id-trainees.pdf [Accessed 26Apr2019]