Macrophya erythrocnema Costa, 1859

Macek, Jan, 2012, About Macrophya parvula and larvae of several Central European Macrophya (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), Zootaxa 3487, pp. 65-76 : 75

Macrophya erythrocnema Costa, 1859

( Fig. 19 )

Material examined. Bohemia centr.: Czech karst PLA, Karlštejn NNR (6510), 26.vi.2010, 16 larvae on Knautia arvensis .

Description of full-grown larva. Body length: 13–15 mm; head pale brownish, body pale green, annulet 2 with large, annulet 5 with small black rounded spot above the spiracular line, subspiracular and suprapedal lobe with more or less developed dark transverse spot; base of coxae with variable dark patch.

Head covered with short setae, clypeus with four setae, labrum with six setae, mandibles with two setae, stipes with one seta, palpifer with 3 setae, the second article of maxillary palpus with one seta; abdominal segments with seven smooth annulets; annulets 2, 4, 7 with 6–8 scattered tiny setae, annulet 2 with 2–4, annulet 4 with 2–3 small conical pale glandubae; spiracles yellow, the first postspiraculart lobe with one glanduba and 4–6 tiny setae, the second postspiracular lobe with three glandubae and 4–6 tiny setae, subspiracular lobe with 10–13 tiny setae and one glanduba, surpedal lobe with one glanduba and 11–13 tiny setae; exterior side of proleg bare, on interior side neare base with 6–7 setae.

Notes on identification of larva. Pschorn-Walcher & Altenhofer (2006) first mentioned Knautia arvensis as the food plant of this species. The larva of M. erythrocnema , as described above, is very similar to that of M. recognata , but differs in its ecology. Unlike M. recognata this is a xerophilous species associated with xeric grasslands in lower altitudes.

Bionomics. Habitat: dry grasslands and xeric fringes in lowland and foothill zones. Univoltine. Flight period from mid May to the beginning of July; larval period from mid June to the end of July. Host plant: Knautia arvensis . The larvae rest on the underside of leaves. The infested plants are traced by the large holes on the leaves. Larval development is relatively fast, lasting about four to five weeks; the eonymph rests for a longer time (up to six weeks) coiled on the underside of the leaves of various surrounding vegetation before burrowing into the soil for hibernation diapause.

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 20. Macrophya Dahlbom, 1835, last instar larvae (a—lateral view, b—dorsal view): 18 — M. parvula (Konow, 1884); 19 — M. erythrocnema Costa, 1859; 20 — M. recognata Zombori, 1979. Scale: 10 mm.