Tenthredo maculata

Recorded throughout much of mainland Britain. Benson (1952) noted the range as extending north to the Forth, but numerous records north of there (to the Moray Firth) suggest there may have been a northwards expansion subsequently (Musgrove, 2023).

A larger species with setiform black antennae and the abdomen banded in yellow in the mid tergites (four to six in the female and all except the first and last two in the male). The stigma is unicolorous black, or nearly so and the costa is yellow. Different from Tenthredo temula in having a yellow pronotal edge and scutellum.

Tenthredo maculata larvae feed on various coarse grasses.

Jump to other species of Tenthredo

Size: 12.5 - 14mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales

Flight period: May to July

Plant associations: Graminae including Brachypodium spp. and Dactylis spp. (false brome, cocksfoot)

The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)

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 Natural England, unpublished