Macrophya rufipes in Cheshire
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 11:46 am
Macrophya rufipes in Cheshire:
While collecting flies (Diptera) at Weaver Valley Parkway, Winsford (SJ655668) on 26 June 2012, I spotted numerous individuals of a very strikingly coloured and unfamiliar sawfly feeding at umbellifer inflorescences. Its long hind femora served to distinguish it from Tenthredo as a Macrophya species, and Its red-banded black body, clear yellow fore and middle legs, and mostly bright red hind femora quickly enabled a determination of Macrophya rufipes using Benson's 1952 RES key. He describes it as being "locally abundant in England SE of the Humber/Severn line". Checking the grid map on the NBN Gateway reveals a similar distribution pattern with the odd record from South Wales. This would therefore appear to be a considerable northerly extension of its range. All specimens examined were males. Vouchers retained and the records will be added to RODIS in due course.
The only other sawflies in attendance were Tenthredo arcuata (much the dominant species) and a few Tenthredo atra.
Bill Hardwick
While collecting flies (Diptera) at Weaver Valley Parkway, Winsford (SJ655668) on 26 June 2012, I spotted numerous individuals of a very strikingly coloured and unfamiliar sawfly feeding at umbellifer inflorescences. Its long hind femora served to distinguish it from Tenthredo as a Macrophya species, and Its red-banded black body, clear yellow fore and middle legs, and mostly bright red hind femora quickly enabled a determination of Macrophya rufipes using Benson's 1952 RES key. He describes it as being "locally abundant in England SE of the Humber/Severn line". Checking the grid map on the NBN Gateway reveals a similar distribution pattern with the odd record from South Wales. This would therefore appear to be a considerable northerly extension of its range. All specimens examined were males. Vouchers retained and the records will be added to RODIS in due course.
The only other sawflies in attendance were Tenthredo arcuata (much the dominant species) and a few Tenthredo atra.
Bill Hardwick
