Macrophya punctumalbum

Macrophya punctumalbum, the privet sawfly, is a sawfly (order Hymenoptera, family Tenthredinidae).^[1]

Macrophya punctumalbum
Female of Macrophya punctumalbum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Symphyta
Family:	Tenthredinidae
Genus:	Macrophya
Species:	M. punctumalbum
Binomial name
Macrophya punctumalbum (Linnaeus, 1767)

Description

Macrophya punctumalbum can reach a length of 10 millimetres (0.4 in).^[2] In the females the basic body color is black. Legs have bright, red hind femora, while tibias are black with white apex. Tergites shows three to seven white spots on both sides. There is a large white spot over most of the scutellum.^[2]

This species shows an evident sexual dimorphism. Males are much smaller than the females and completely black. They are very rare, because the species is substantially parthenogenetic.

The larvae develop on the leaves of Oleaceae species (Fraxinus, Ligustrum, Syringa).^[2][3]

The adults of this sawfly can mostly be encountered from May through July. Adults mainly feed on pollen and nectar.^[4]

Distribution

This species is widespread in most of Europe up to the Caucasus.^[5]

Bibliography

• Hoebeke, E R and Johnson, W T A European privet sawfly, Macrophya punctumalbum (L.): North American distribution host plants, seasonal history and descriptions of the immature stages (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington