Phymatocera aterrima (KLUG, 1816)

Liston, A. D., Knight, G. T., Heibo, E., Bland, K. P., Barstad, Trond Elling, Blank, S. M., Boeve, J. - L., Fiedler, K., Grearson, K. J., Halstead, A., Jacobs, H. - J., Jansen, E., Lonnve, O., Prous, M., Robinson, J. & Taeger, A., 2012, On Scottish sawflies, with results of the 14 International Sawfly Workshop, in the southern Highlands, 2010 (Hymenoptera, Symphyta), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 62, pp. 1-68 : 45-46

Phymatocera aterrima (KLUG, 1816)

Meall nan Tarmachan, beside Lochan na Lairige, 1 ♀, 5.vi.2010, leg. Blank, Liston & Taeger.

Bridge of Garry , 1 ♀, 6.vi.2010, from Polygonatum growing outside garden fence, leg. Grearson.

Kindrogan (Kindrogan House), 1 ♀ 1 ♂, 7.vi.2010, leg. Halstead.

Phymatocera aterrima is known to many gardeners as the Solomon’s Seal Sawfly. The larvae cause conspicuous, unsightly, damage to Polygonatum species. Benson (1952) described northwards range expansion of P. aterrima as far as Cheshire and it is generally considered to have since continued to move northwards in the British Isles. P. aterrima was first found in Scotland (Edinburgh) in 1985 ( Shaw 1986) and there is a 2006 record from a garden in Aberdeen ( Young 2010). However, it should not be forgotten that Polygonatum verticillatum All. is a rare native plant of gorge woodlands in Perthshire ( Robinson 2008). Lacourt (2001) has suggested that Paris quadrifolia L. (also a rare native species in Perthshire: Lavery 2008) may also be a host. The possibility cannot be overlooked that local, semi-natural populations of P. aterrima may have existed in Scotland before its widespread recent occurrence in gardens.

Adults of P. aterrima make an impression of being weak and reluctant fliers, and are usually found crawling on their hostplants. We were surprised to find a specimen of this species at Meall nan Tarmachan, apparently far (at least 5 km) from its nearest possible places of origin, presumably either a garden or a semi-natural woodland in a low-lying glen.