Empria takeuchii Prous & Heidemaa, 2011

Shinohara, Akihiko, Hara, Hideho & Prous, Marko, 2015, Host plants of Empria sawflies (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) in Japan include Rhododendron (Ericaceae), Zootaxa 4007 (1), pp. 143-148 : 145

Empria takeuchii Prous & Heidemaa, 2011

Specimens examined. [Hokkaido]: 1♀, Tokachi, Shimizu, larva on Rhododendron molle subsp. japonicum , 24. VI. 2013, matured early VII., emerged late IV. 2014, collected and reared by H. Hara [1540]; 1♀, Tokachi, Shimizu, larva on Rhododendron molle subsp. japonicum , 24. VI. 2013, matured 1. VII., emerged 22. IV. 2014, collected by A. Shinohara and reared by H. Hara [1545]. All in NSMT.

Host plant. Ericaceae : Rhododendron molle (Blume) G.Don subsp. japonicum (A.Gray) K.Kron.

Remarks. The larvae were found on the leaves of Rhododendron molle subsp. japonicum planted in a park. They occurred in late June and the adults emerged next spring indoors, which strongly suggests that the species has a univoltine life cycle.

The larva (probably in middle to late instars, Figs 1–3 ) is a solitary external feeder, often assuming a coiled resting position, common in tenthredinid sawflies ( Fig. 3 ). In the late instar ( Figs 2–3 ), the head is light brown with a black ocularium. The trunk is pale gray with slight purplish tinge. The anterior margin of the prothorax, broad lateral ventral parts (the postspiracular lobes and below) throughout the trunk, and most of the eighth and tenth abdominal segments are creamy white.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Empria takeuchii, larvae, middle (1) and late (2 – 3) instars, on the leaves of Rhododendron molle subsp. japonicum, photographed on June 24, 2013, in Shimizu, Tokachi, Hokkaido, by A. Shinohara.