Description

Body length 7 - 8mm. Told from the similar Argid Sawflies by the antennae which are made up of ten segments (in the Argids there is a first and second, and then the rest are fused into a third long segment). The body and legs are orange and the head is black. The thorax has black patches on the dorsal surface and the wings have a black leading edge.

Habitat

Woodland edge, hedgerows and meadows. The larvae feed on cruciferous plants and the adults feed on nectar and pollen from umbelliferous plants.

Status and distribution

Common and widely distributed over southern Britain. Common in Nottinghamshire and at Netherfield Lagoons.

Best time to see

May to October.