Rhogogaster chlorosoma
Length: 10-13mm. This is the palest of the three known VC55 Rhogogaster species, with only very limited black markings on the top of the abdomen.
There are 7 Rhogogaster species in Britain (2 renamed Cytisogaster) but only 3 are known in Leicestershire. R. viridis has dark marks along the top of the abdomen and R. punctulata has paired dots along the edges of each lateral segment.
Rhogogaster scalaris (previously R. viridis) is the most similar though most can be distinguished by the more extensive black markings on the top of the abdomen. However pale versions can overlap in appearance with dark variants of R. chlorosoma. Males can be distinguished by the length of the tarsal pulvilli (pads on the underside of the tarsi) which are approximately half the length of the next segment in chlorosoma but much shorter in scalaris.
- 10-13mm
- green with black markings
- little black on the top of the abdomen
- males with tarsal pulvilli that are around half the length of the next segment.
This species has a red ID rating and unless identified by a known expert you must provide a satisfactory explanation of how it was identified for the record to be accepted.
Hedgerows and well vegetated areas.
May to July.
The adults feed on pollen and nectar as well as small insects that it finds on the flowerheads. The larvae feed on the leaves of a variety of bushes, trees and plants.
Widespread in the southern half of Britain with fewer records from further north.
Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known at present.
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Species profile
- Species group:
- Sawflies
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Hymenoptera
- Family:
- Tenthredinidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 5
- First record:
- 24/06/2011 (Nicholls, David)
- Last record:
- 18/06/2024 (Hunt, Graham)
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