Subfamily Allantinae

Page last updated 13th March 2020 (part to 19th Feb 2021)

Caliroa cinxia, Thetford (Andy Musgrove)

Genus Allantus

[Allantus basalis]
Sawfly website

No Norfolk records; a northern species known to Benson only from Speyside although some other Scottish locations have been found since.


Allantus calceatus
Sawfly website

Seems to be reasonably common, mostly from wetland sites.
Flight period: 24th Apr to 14th Aug.

19th century: Brundall
20th century: Wheatfen, Shipdham, Bodney Warren, Lopham Fen, Blickling, Upton Fen, Woodbastwick Fen
21st century: Lynford Meadows, Sutton Fen, Nunnery Lakes, Hickling Broad, Bergh Apton.


Allantus cinctus
Sawfly website

Reasonably common, although perhaps a suggestion of a recent decline?
Flight period: 17th May to 10th Aug.

19th century: Norwich ("common on roses either wild or in gardens")
20th century: numerous locations
21st century: Horsey, Holme, Norwich, Brooke

Allantus cingulatus
Sawfly website

Apparently common nationally; in Norfolk seems to be common in the south-east but absent or undetected elsewhere.

19th century: Norwich
20th century: Stanford Water
21st century: no confirmed records until 2019 and 2020 when common (locally abundant) in SE Norfolk - also recorded Thetford in 2019.


[Allantus coryli]
Sawfly website

No Norfolk records to date; seems to be a rare hazel-feeder in SE England.


Allantus laticinctus
Sawfly website

A single larval record from Scole in 1995. This species was not known to Benson and was added to the British list by Knight (2006), with Liston’s checklist saying it is only known in Wales. This record would seem in need of further evidence therefore.


[Allantus melanarius]
Sawfly website

No Norfolk records; Benson noted as rare with records from Kent and Essex. Feeds on dogwood, would seem feasible to search for in Norfolk?


Allantus rufocinctus
Sawfly website

The first county record was found in Shotesham in 2018, where it flew into a house. Nationally apparently widespread.


Allantus togatus
Sawfly website

A local species nationally. Noted from Earlham and Sparham in the late 1800s, and then from Catfield Fen in July 1993. No further records until 2020 when found at Horsey, Foxley Wood and Beeston Common.


Allantus truncatus
Sawfly website

The only record is from Wheatfen in 1989; further confirmation might be useful.


Genus Apethymus

Apethymus filiformis
Sawfly website

Atmore noted the species commonly in 1910 and 1913 in King's Lynn area. Durrant listed the species for East Norfolk in the 20th century, but I've not yet found further details of a record that this could refer to. Larval record in Wymondham in May 2020. No obvious reason this species should not be widespread, being an oak feeder - look for larvae in spring and the adults in the autumn (this genus is unusual amongst sawflies in this regard).


Apethymus serotinus
Sawfly website

Noted from Sparham in 1880 and from King's Lynn in the early 1900's. The only other record is from Stanford Water in 1976 where, intruigingly, the species was said to be frequent from the Malaise trap there. Another oak-feeder and seemingly overlooked; targeted searches for larvae in spring or adults in autumn might be useful.


Genus Taxonus

Taxonus agrorum 

Durrant lists the species for both east and west Norfolk in 20th century, but no dated records


Genus Caliroa

Caliroa annulipes

A number of old records, plus potential recent larval record from Weeting, albeit other oak-feeding Caliroa not ruled out yet. Confirmed larval records from Shotesham and Kelling Heath in 2020. Appears to be widespread as far north as central Scotland.

Caliroa cerasi

Reasonably common, larvae feed on rosaceous trees and shrubs. The most frequently recorded of the genus, and widespread throughout Britain.

Caliroa cinxia 

A single record from 1878; specimen needs checking to be sure. Larval records then in 2019 and 2020 from Thetford, Shotesham and Hellesdon. Appears to be widespread in Britain north to Northumberland.

Caliroa tremulae

The first record for Britain was of a male obtained from a Malaise trap at Santon Downham in 1984. To date there have been no more located in the county. The species was previously confused under C. varipes and it is possible that other records may have been misidentified. C. tremulae is the only European member of the genus that feeds on Populus; indeed it is thought to feed only on Aspen.

Caliroa varipes

There are a handful of older county records, including East Wretham in 1993. It is possible that some older records will not have been differentiated from tremulae though. However, a male was confirmed in Shotesham in 2019. Appears to be widespread in southern Britain (although many records do not rule out tremulae).



Genus Endelomyia

Endelomyia aethiops

Known from Norwich and Wroxham in 19th century, and a range of 20th century records. In 21st century noted from Ringstead Downs, Horsey, North Wootton, Wymondham, Whinburgh, Whitlingham. Most records are of larvae on roses.

Genus Ametastegia

Ametastegia albipes

Four 20th century records (although was not included by Durrant in his lists for some reason). Recent records from Winterton, Catfield and Acle. Most records are from the Broads.

Ametastegia carpini 

Old records from Norwich and Kings Lynn, and recent records from Shotesham and Bergh Apton

Ametastegia equiseti 

Several records from wetland sites and has proved numerous in some Malaise trap samples. Recent records from Thompson Common, Sutton Fen, Catfield, Buckenham and Rushall.

Ametastegia glabrata 

Appears common in wetland sites; recent records from Catfield Fen, Sutton Fen, Shotesham Common, Holme and Bodham.

Ametastegia pallipes 

Old records, plus Catfield in 2018. Intruiging that Benson suggested it being common in gardens, so has it declined or is it overlooked?

Ametastegia perla 

Older records only, not seen since 1968 in the county.

Ametastegia tenera 

Older records, but then also from 2018 onwards at Catfield, Shotesham, Thornham, Hills and Holes, Thetford Forest.

Genus Empria

Benson's key contains 13 species. There has been a degree of taxonomic change and some new discoveries since. Dave Gibbs has worked on incorporating these developments into the Benson key. Lacourt's doesn't add anything much helpful. I find this a very difficult genus and it's one where it would be good to set them more carefully early on, extracting saws and penis-valves and setting legs carefully (to see claws). Given all of this, the following status notes are still somewhat speculative.

{Empria alector – no confirmed Norfolk records, although Benson says is common around meadowsweet so surely overlooked?}

{Empria alpina – no Norfolk records; Benson says only Perthshire}

{Empria basalis – no Norfolk records; added to British list by Knight (2009), apparently northern species}

Empria candidata – a single record from 1979; would be good to check this further. Benson notes as local and scarce, on birch.

Empria excisa – several records including some recent ones where I am fairly confident of the identification.

{Empria fletcheri – no Norfolk records, Benson lists only a few Scottish sites}

Empria immersa – a few older records of uncertain status

Empria liturata – older records, plus several more recently where the ID seems reasonably certain.

Empria longicornis – a single 19th century record of uncertain status

{Empria minuta – no Norfolk records; added by Knight & Liston (in prep)}

Empria pallimacula – a number of older records of uncertain status, mostly from wetland sites

{Empria parvula – no Norfolk records, Benson says is uncommon although list of sites includes Suffolk, so would seem likely to occur}

{Empria pumila – no Norfolk records, Benson lists quite a wide range of counties including Cambridgeshire, so could be present. Liston also notes that similar pumiloides may actually be present also}

Empria sexpunctata – recorded at Stanford Water in 1976 and Shotesham in 2019; seemingly relatively distinctive.

Empria tridens – single records in 1976 (Redgrave/Lopham) and several recent records with a reasonable degree of certainty about the ID.

Genus Harpiphorus

Harpiphorus lepidus

Sawfly website

Noted from King’s Lynn in the early 20th century but not since. An oak-feeder; could it be widely overlooked high in oak trees maybe?

Genus Monostegia

Monostegia abdominalis

Sawfly website

Several wetland localities, including recent records from Hetherett, Wymondham, Catfield, Horsey, Beeston Common, Strumpshaw. One specimen from Wheatfen in 1982 appears to be the first male ever recorded in Britain

Genus Monsoma

Monsoma pulveratum

Sawfly website

Several older records, plus more recent records from Shotesham, Hempnall, Harleston and Acle.

Genus Eriocampa

Eriocampa ovata

Sawfly website

A distinctive species as both adult and larva. Common around alders.