Tenthredo vespa
A black and yellow species with black antennae. In the female the two basal antennal segments are often reddish-yellow in colour, whereas in the male they are often black. The head and thorax are densely punctured. The tegulae are at least reddish yellow at the edges. Yellow apical bands on the tergites do not broaden laterally. The fore wing has a clearly defined dark patch from the stigma to the apex. The femora are dark and the tibia are reddish.
Tenthredo vespa larvae feed on a broad range of shrubs and trees.
Size: 11 - 12mm
Status: Uncommon
Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales
Flight period: May to September
Plant associations: Viburnum (wayfarer, guelder rose), Fraxinus (ash), Jasminum (jasmine), Lonicera (honeysuckle), Ligustrum (wild privet), Symphoricarpus (snowberry) and Acer plantanoides (sycamore).
The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)
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- Tenthredo vespa Credit Will George
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- Tenthredo vespa female (Jersey example) Credit Tim Ransom
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]