Cryptic Clubhorn - Abia aenea
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Species Description
A nationally scarce species; widely scattered over the south but mostly confined to the south-east. Habitat includes: woodland, hedgerows, scrub, gardens, parks, allotments, churchyards etc. Food Plant: members of the Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae) family, including Lonicera spp., Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus, presumably also S. orbiculatus) and Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa). Flight period: April to June. Length: 12 mm. Confusion species: very similar to A. lonicerae but the adults of both sexes can be separated by the top and sides of the thorax being dulled by microsculpture between the punctures (shining between the punctures in A. lonicerae) and the females can be further distinguished by the more slender antenna with the fourth antennomere (the one after the long segment) being about 3x as long as broad (when viewed side on) as opposed to being more bulbous and only about 2x as long as broad in A. lonicerae. The larvae can be distinguished by the lack of a black mark behind the spiracle on each abdominal segment (present in A. lonicerae).