Tenthredo brevicornis
Recorded commonly throughout all of mainland Britain, as well as Orkney and the Hebrides (Musgrove, 2023).
One of a complex of four species: arcuata, brevicornis, notha, schaefferi. Males of the four species cannot always be reliably separated, though Taeger has produced a key to males on the continent. Tenthredo notha and schaeferri can be separated from arcuata and brevicornis by the yellow band on tergite 1 which broadens laterally and continues down onto the lateral face. Tenthredo arcuata and brevicornis females can be distinguished by the shape of the saw teeth. In brevicornis the saw teeth are sharp and pointed. In brevicornis, the antennal scape is usually completely black though not always. However, in old specimens the saw teeth may become blunted and ressemble arcuata.
The larvae of Tenthredo brevicornis feed on Bird's-foot Trefoil.
Jump to other species of Tenthredo
Size: approx. 9 - 11mm
GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
Flight period: Uni- or bivoltine, June to September
Plant associations: Lotus corniculatus (Bird's-foot Trefoil)
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
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- Tenthredo brevicornis female Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis female head detail Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis femora and tibiae Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis hypopygium Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis lancet Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis serrulae Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo arcuata brevicornis male agg
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- Tenthredo arcuata brevicornis male agg
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- Tenthredo brevicornis penis valve (pair in cop) Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis larva Credit John Grearson
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- Tenthredo brevicornis middle instar larva on Bird’s-foot Trefoil Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis second instar larva Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis second instar larva Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis first instar larva on Bird’s-foot Trefoil Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis final instar larva (reared on Birds-foot Trefoil) Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis final instar larva (reared on Birds-foot Trefoil) Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis final instar larva (reared on Birds-foot Trefoil) Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis eonymph (reared on Birds-foot Trefoil) Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis eonymph (reared on Birds-foot Trefoil) Credit Andrew Green
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- Tenthredo brevicornis eonymph (reared on Birds-foot Trefoil) 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
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]
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., (1988) Dritter Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Blattwespengattung Tenthredo L. (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Tenthredinidae), Beitr. Ent., Berlin