Macrophya annulata. (Geoffroy, 1785)
Size: 11 to 12mm

Flight Period: May to June

Macrophya annulata is a mimic of a pompilid Wasp (Spider hunting wasp family)
A widespread and fairly common species in the UK. This Sawfly is found worldwide and over much of Europe. A very distinguishable sawfly, with a broad orange-red band on the abdomen. A very similar species, Macrophya blanda having a narrower orange-red abdomen band, also M. blanda has a white base at the rear coxa.
Habitat: Mainly woodland edges and hedgerows (wherever Rosa Canina is found growing).
Feeds on small insects, nectar and pollen from flowers, especially associated to Rosa canina, commonly known as “Dog Rose”. The larvae are polyphagous, (able to feed on various kinds of food) they feed mainly at night on the leaves of a variety of plants like Rosaceae, Salicaceae and Betulaceae species, they will also be found on bracken species of plants.
The female is able to cut into plant stems, by using her saw-like ovipositor, (egg laying tube) to lay her eggs; hence the name “Sawfly”.