Honeysuckle Sawfly agg. - Abia lonicerae/aenea

These are large, wide bodied sawflies with metallic abdomens, clubbed antennae and dark markings on the wings. However, the commonest in the genus, Abia lonicerae (the Honeysuckle Sawfly), is very difficult to distinguish from Abia aenea so we have created this page to include records of both. The other species in the genus can generally be separated from this species pair. We believe the images below show Abia lonicerae but this cannot be confirmed.

Abia lonicera and Abia aenea both feed on Honeysuckle and cannot generally be separated as larvae. Adults are not easily separated either as the key features are not generally visible in most photos. Both sexes of Abia aenea have dense microsculpture between the punctures on the mesosternum, and this microsculpture is absent in Abia sericea.

The female of Abia aenea has more slender antennae, with the fourth antennomere (the one after the long segment) being about three times as long as broad (viewed side on).

Where the larval foodplants Honeysuckle or Snowberry are present.

Summer

Larvae feed on Honeysuckle or Snowberry.

Seems to be uncommon or little recorded in Britain.

Infrequently recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.