Cimbicid sawfly

Abia lonicerae, a species of cimbicid sawfly in the family Cimbicidae, is a stocky, wasp-like insect found across the Holarctic region, with a distribution spanning Europe and parts of Asia. The larvae feed on the foliage of honeysuckle (Lonicera) species, which gives the sawfly its species name. Adult Abia lonicerae are metallic-colored, often blue-green to bronze, and are among the larger sawfly species, reaching 10–15 millimeters in length. Adults are associated with flowers and are thought to be nectar feeders. Females use a saw-like ovipositor to insert eggs into the leaf tissue of host plants. The species is classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN, reflecting insufficient information to make a reliable assessment of its conservation status. Cimbicid sawflies are generally associated with deciduous woodland and woodland edge habitats where their host plants occur. The genus Abia encompasses multiple species distributed across the Holarctic, several of which share honeysuckle or related plants as larval hosts. As with many Hymenoptera, accurate distribution data are incomplete due to the challenges of surveying relatively inconspicuous insects. Maintaining diverse woodland edge habitats with abundant native honeysuckle is likely beneficial for Abia lonicerae populations.