Tenthredo zona 

Found sparingly in England from Liverpool southwards, and just into Wales. Benson (1952) described the range as south of the Wash-Severn line, and so there may have been a slight range expansion north-westwards subsequently (Musgrove, 2023).

A smaller black and yellow species. The metapleura and scutellum entirely black. The two basal segments of the antennae are yellow as are the tegulae and the edge of the pronotum. On the abdomen the apical margin of the first tergite is yellow and all of the 5th tergite and the apical tergites are yellow. The fore wing stigma is bicolorous being yellow with a darker apex.

Tenthredo zona are associated with dry heaths and chalk downs. Larvae feed on St John's-wort.

Jump to other species of Tenthredo

Size: 8 - 10mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Wales

Flight period: Late April to June

Plant associations: Hypericum perforatum (perforate 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

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 Natural England, unpublished