Predatory Sawfly: Green Wasp from Ireland capturing a Fly

bugman

August 5th, 2010 at 6:55 pm

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Green Wasp
Location: Ireland
August 5, 2010 11:02 am
Hi, I saw this little guy in my back garden. He seemed to be catching & killing flies in my lime tree & I have no idea what he is, please help?
Robert Kennedy

green wasp captures fly ireland robert 300x268 Predatory Sawfly: Green Wasp from Ireland capturing a Fly

Unknown Green Wasp captures Fly in Ireland: Bembicina species???

Hi Robert,
Our initial search for possibilities in Ireland did not turn up anything, so we are posting your letter in the hopes that our readership can contribute some knowledge. Though the pattern on your unknown wasp is quite different, there are some green wasps in the North American subtribe Bembicina that are also green and capture flies. Females in the genus Bembix (see BugGuide) provision the nests that are dug in sandy soil with flies to feed the larvae. You can see examples of Bembicina on BugGuide.

Hi Daniel, thanks for your help. I have shown the picture to a lot of people, young and old and no one has ever seen one before! I look forward to your reply,
Thanks.
Robert.

Karl provided an unusual Identification
August 9, 2010
Hi Daniel and Robert:
I think this is another kind of Hymenopteran, a Sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. There are an impressive number of sawflies in Ireland and the black and green pattern is not uncommon, but this one looks like a species in the genus Tenthredo, possibly T. mesomela. The adults feed on nectar, pollen and small insects and the larvae feed on the leaves of a variety of plants. They range throughout Europe, including Ireland. Here’s one more link. Regards. Karl

WOW!!! Thanks so much Karl. We had no idea that there were predatory Sawflies. We are sure our readership will really appreciate your diligence in getting this identification to us.