Abia sericea
| Abia sericea | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
| Female of Abia sericea feeding on Ferulago campestris | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Suborder: | Symphyta |
| Superfamily: | Tenthredinoidea |
| Family: | Cimbicidae |
| Genus: | Abia |
| Species: | A. sericea |
| Binomial name | |
| Abia sericea (Linnaeus 1767) | |
Abia sericea, common name Club Horned Sawfly or Scabious Sawfly, is a species of sawflies belonging to the family Cimbicidae.[1]
Description
Abia sericea can reach a length of 10–12 millimetres (0.39–0.47 in).[2] The adults have a large body with a showy metallic green-golden or bronze abdomen. The thorax is black, with bluish sheen and it is slightly hairy. Wings are transparent, with brown markings in the middle. Antennae are yellow-reddish, while other species in this genus have totally or partially black antennae. Legs are yellow, with black thighs at their base. [3][4]
Adults can be seen from May to October feeding on nectar of Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), of Ferulago campestris and of the Giant Fennel (Ferula communis).[2]
Larva can reach a length of about 30 millimetres (1.2 in). They have a sandy background colour with black and yellow spots. They are oligophagous, mainly feeding between June and September on Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis), cream scabious (Scabiosa ochroleuca ) and on various Dipsacus species. [5][6][7]
Distribution and habitat
This species can be found in most of European countries. [8] It mainly occurs in wet meadows and forests, but its narrow habitat is restricted to the range of its host plant. [2][6][7]
References
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Wikispecies has information related to: Abia sericea |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abia sericea. |
- ↑ Biolib
- 1 2 3 Commanster
- ↑ Nature Spot
- ↑ Charles Frederick Partington The British Encyclopædia of Natural History
- ↑ John Grearson Recording some easily-identified sawfly larvae in Wiltshire
- 1 2 Harizanova V, Stoeva A, Rector B (2012) Host range testing and biology of Abia sericea (Cimbicidae), a candidate for biological control of invasive teasels (Dipsacus spp.) in North America. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 28: 1-11.
- 1 2 Study on the biology of Abia sericea (L.) (Hymenoptera: Cimbicidae) - a candidate for biological control of teasel (Dipsacus spp.).
- ↑ Fauna Europaea