Скачать или смотреть Sawfly (Tenthredo mesomela) - Brighton, May 2021

No sooner had I posted this video as a sawfly from the genus Rhogogaster, than I was informed of its true identity, as one of the Tenthredo species I knew closely resembled Rhogogaster.

Tenthredo mesomela is one of three green Tenthredo species, but it appears the location of this specimen rules out the other two.

Compared to the similar Rhogogaster species, T. mesomela lacks the green patterns on the top of the head and thorax of the former.

Instead it has a predominantly black upper surface, with most of the lower surface lime green, slightly smoked wings with a long black stigma (green in Rhogogaster) and is the largest of the green and black sawflies at approx. 13mm.

It flies from May to July, preferring woods with plenty of lush bramble but will also visit flowers such as Cow Parsley and Hogweed.

Unusually for a sawfly, it also predates small insects.

Although it's a common species, it's very easy to overlook as it scurries, well camouflaged, in and out of vegetation'

PK

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