larva on Skullcap for id please.

molesworth 2 · #1 (**permalink**) 24-07-2007, 10:58 PM

Found this larva on Skullcap in a wet meadow (Culm grassland) near to the Tamar in West Devon, it was about 1cm long. Any ideas?

Ferret · #2 (**permalink**) 25-07-2007, 12:10 AM

I believe this is the larva of the sawfly Athalia scutellariae

molesworth 2 · #3 (**permalink**) 25-07-2007, 09:06 AM

Thanks Ferret that looks spot on. I havent been able to find a picture on the internet of the larva but the description (and of course the foodplant) sounds right on. Did you know the species anyway or did you get to it via the foodplant and the internet or book?

Ferret · #4 (**permalink**) 25-07-2007, 10:06 PM

Hi molesworth 2. I belong to this Yahoo group sawfly : The Symphyta Forum which has a database of known food plants linked to a database of identified photos. I thought I recognised your photo as a sawfly larva, from then with such a distinctive larva and a named food plant the rest was easy.