About Arge melanochra (Gmelin, 1790)
Adult Arge melanochra reach a length of 7–8 millimetres (0.28–0.31 inches), and can be found from May to July. Their head, antennae, and thorax are black, while the abdomen is reddish orange. The femurs are black and the tibiae are yellow. This species is very similar to Arge cyanocrocea, but in A. melanochra the front wings only have a dark spot near the stigma, and the distal half (apex) of the wings is transparent. This sawfly can also be confused with Athalia rosae (family Tenthredinidae); however, Arge melanochra antennae are made up of three segments, with the third segment greatly elongated, while Athalia rosae antennae have 10–11 segments. This sawfly occurs in Europe. Adult Arge melanochra feed on nectar and pollen from plants in the family Apiaceae, mainly Heracleum sphondylium and Laserpitium latifolium, while the larvae feed on Crataegus species.
