Tenthredo balteata
A largely black and red species. The antennae are setiform, dark at the base and paler at the apex. The stigma of the fore wing is black, or nearly so. The head has clear punctures above and has a bronzy reflection in some lights. The thorax is largely black above and below and the abdomen is black at the base and apex with red tergites inbetween.
Larvae feed on St John's-worts.
Size: 9 - 10mm
Status: Locally common
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: May to August
Plant associations: Hypericum perforatum and tetrapterum (perforate St John's-wort and square-stemmed St John's-wort)
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]