Dolerus nigratus

Description

10mm. The head, mesonotum abdomen and legs are all black but the cenchri are white. It has slightly darkened wings and a black wing stigma. The saw sheath in the female is very rounded at the tip and surrounded by long setae which are largely straight.

Similar Species

Other Dolerus species.

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)
  • c10mm
  • all black (head, body, legs)
  • white cenchri
  • heavily punctuated mesonotum
  • saw sheath rounded at the tip
  • setae at the end of the saw sheath largely straight
Habitat

Hedgerows and flowery verges.

When to see it

Summer.

Life History

The larvae feed on various grasses.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in the southern half of Britain at least.

VC55 Status

Probably fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland but under-recorded.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
insect - hymenopteran
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Hymenoptera
Family:
Tenthredinidae
Records on NatureSpot:
4
First record:
03/05/2013 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
22/04/2025 (Nicholls, David)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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