Review of 2019 and 2020 - Bugs: Plant bugs - part 2: Mirini I (Agnocoris to Orthops)

PLANT BUGS (MIRIDAE) (continued)


Tribe MIRINI


Lucerne Bug Adelphocoris lineolatus - None.  I caught this species here in 2016 but not since.


Agnocoris reclairei - My first example of this species was beaten from the White Willow at the Cathedral Meadows on 3rd August 2019.

Agnocoris reclairei, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2019

Apolygus lucorum - None.  I found this species at the meadows in 2018.


Apolygus spinolae - Found in the garden moth trap on 16th and 19th August 2020, the first times I've recorded this species.

Apolygus spinolae, North Elmham, 16th August 2020

Apolygus spinolae, North Elmham, 19th August 2020

Potato Capsid Closterotomus norwegicus - One found at the Cathedral Meadows on 13th July 2019.  Nymphs found there on Ox-eye Daisy flowers on 1st and 3rd June 2020 look very much like online photos of nymphs of this species but I'm not clear if other similar species might be similar at this stage.  Advice welcome, but in the meantime I won't record these in case there's a possibility they could be something else.

Closterotomus norwegicus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2019

possible/probable Closterotomus norwegicus nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020

Liocoris tripustulatus - Recorded at the meadows on 8th April and 29th July 2019 and 5th September 2020.  One found at home (indoors) on 29th August 2020 was the first I've identified here since 2017.

Liocoris tripustulatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th April 2019

Liocoris tripustulatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th July 2019

Liocoris tripustulatus, North Elmham, 29th August 2020

Liocoris tripustulatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus - One caught in the garden moth trap on 21st August 2020, my first here since 2017.  I found these at the meadows a couple of times in 2018.

Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus, North Elmham, 21st August 2020

Lygus pratensis - Recorded at the meadows on 29th March and 21st April 2019 then 4 caught in the garden moth trap between 14th October and 1st November.  In 2020 5 at the meadows between 18th July and 5th September, caught in the garden moth trap on 23rd July and 19th August, one at Hoe on 20th September and one indoors here on 16th November.  Also 2 nymphs believed to be this species (but confirmation would be welcome) at the meadows on Imperforate St John's Wort on 30th August 2020 (swept with an adult pratensis on the same plant).  Even after looking at quite a lot of specimens and even more of rugulipennis I still find it rather difficult to see the differences in corium hair spacing.

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 25th October 2019

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 19th August 2020

adult and 2 nymphs (presumed) Lygus pratensis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th August 2020

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis - Caught in the garden moth trap on just 4 nights between 23rd July and 1st November 2019.  This was considerably fewer nights than in most years but included a count of 20 (all checked) on 25th October, the largest count of any bug I've had in my garden moth trap.  Much more frequently recorded in 2020, though with a lower total number - 5 between 7th and 30th January and 14 between 16th July and 21st December.  Although this species is typically darker than pratensis there is a fair amount of overlap.  Usually the darker examples of pratensis somehow look cleaner and smarter while rugulipennis usually looks quite dirty regardless of how light or dark they are.  I wouldn't rely on that though, and likewise the dark edge to the cuneus is a good indicator but not reliable.  I always check the hairs on the corium though the difference here is quite subtle and if I'm honest I'm not 100% sure that I've never made an error judging the hair detail.  A couple of records at the meadows in 2020 including one on 2nd May - the only one out of 74 that I've now identified that was in April, May or June.

Tarnished Plant Bugs Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham, 25th October 2019

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd May 2020

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham, 19th August 2020

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Megacoelum infusum - One caught in the garden moth trap on 15th August 2020 initially appeared to be Megacoelum beckeri based on its tibial characters, however my suspicions were aroused when I beat another out of an Oak tree at the meadows 4 days later and this showed similar tibial characters.  M. beckeri is a pine feeder whereas infusum is an Oak feeder - surely this individual in an Oak tree with no pines in the vicinity must have been infusum.  Eventually, after a Twitter exchange with help from Tristan Bantock and Ciarán Byrne and an examination of their claspers (helpfully both were males), we established that they were indeed both infusum.

Megacoelum infusum, North Elmham, 15th August 2020 - showing hind tibia

Megacoelum infusum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August 2020 - showing hind tibia

abdomens of Megacoelum infusum, North Elmham, 15th August 2020 (left) and North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August 2020 (right) - showing claspers

Neolygus contaminatus - None.  I caught this species here at home in 2017 and 2018.


Neolygus viridis - One found on Sycamore at the meadows on 13th June 2020, a new species for me.

Neolygus viridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th June 2020

Orthops basalis - 2 Orthops swept from Wild Carrot at the meadows on 12th August 2020 turned out to be one basalis and one campestris (left claspers checked to confirm).  Both were new for me.

Orthops basalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August 2020

Orthops campestris - One swept from Wild Carrot at the meadows on 12th August 2020 - a first for me but I've already seen several already in 2021.

Orthops campestris, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August 2020

Next page: more Miridae

2018 off the blocks

The year got off to a slow start without any moths until a Mottled Umber on 5th January.  The beetles got off the ground slightly quicker though, with a Minotaur Beetle on 4th January.

Minotaur Beetle, North Elmham, 4th January 2018

I think this spider is a Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica - I understand the marks on the underside of the abdomen are distinctive though I'm still not entirely clear if they're diagnostic.  However unlike the last one I had at home I could see the top side of this one a bit too, and that seems to support the ID of umbratica.

Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica, North Elmham, 6th January

Next up for the moths was an Early Moth on 6th - presumably recently emerged although it already looked like it had been through the wars.

Early Moth, North Elmham, 6th January

After a couple of blank nights there was Winter Moth (and another Mottled Umber) on 9th and Pale Brindled Beauty (and another Winter Moth) on 10th.

Pale Brindled Beauty, North Elmham, 10th January

I'm not sure how unusual it really is but a Common Wasp in my study the next day seemed quite unseasonal to me.

Common Wasp, North Elmham, 11th January

There was another Pale Brindled Beauty that night and an Early Moth the following night.  Then a run of blanks before another Pale Brindled Beauty on 18th.  22nd January was the first night of the year with 3 species of moth: Early Moth, Pale Brindled Beauty and my first Chestnut of the year.

The following night was even better - 4 species and 6 moths: Dotted Border new for the year along with Pale Brindled Beauty, Early Moth and 3 Chestnuts.  It wasn't just moths either - there was a Great Diving Beetle Dytiscus marginalis and my first bug of the year, Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis.

Dotted Border, North Elmham, 23rd January

Great Diving Beetle Dytiscus marginalis, North Elmham, 23rd January

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham, 23rd January

It eased off again after this with Pale Brindled Beauty and Chestnut on 24th, another Chestnut on 25th and then a nil return. 

My first micro of the year on 27th, a Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana.  Also Pale Brindled Beauty, Early Moth and 3 Chestnuts.

Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana (female, gen det), North Elmham, 27th January

A nice surprise the following night was an Oak Beauty, about a week earlier than my previous earliest.  Also Early Moth and 2 Chestnuts.

Oak Beauty, North Elmham, 24th January

There were more Early Moths on 31st January and 2nd February and 3rd February, and on the 2nd also a Hebrew Character, a real surprise as it's more than 3 weeks earlier than my previous earliest record.

Hebrew Character, North Elmham, 2nd February

New Knot-horn

The night of Wednesday 19th July produced another century - 100 species of moth.  The highlight was a Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella.  This was the first I'd ever trapped, so a very welcome find.  Actually it was already on my list, but shouldn't have been - I'd seen one in a pot once in circumstance where I wouldn't normally 'tick' it.  I often worry that I might be overlooking this species among the very common and somewhat similar Grey Knot-horns Acrobasis advenella, and dissect a few of those each year to double-check.  The most often-cited difference given in various online references is size but there is a lot of overlap (suavella is given as 22-24mm while advenella is given as 18-24mm, so you presumably couldn't positively identify suavella on size alone).  There are other differences in the wing pattern given in some references (e.g. the micros field guide) but these can be hard to assess on worn specimens.  This one wasn't too worn and I found it very distinctive - much more so than I expected.  I dissected it just to dot the i's and cross the t's but it was pretty obvious it was going to be suavella as soon as I clapped eyes on it.

Thicket Knot-horn Acrobasis suavella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th July

This White-border Neb Isophrictis striatella was also new for the house and only my second ever (I added it to my previous house list shortly before moving out in 2014).  A smart and distinctive gelechiid.

White-border Neb Isophrictis striatella, North Elmham, 19th July

A Juniper Argent Argyresthia dilectella was a good record - I'd seen my first here last year but there has only been one other Norfolk record in the last 9 years.

Juniper Argent Argyresthia dilectella, North Elmham, 19th July

Although I'd seen them previously at both this house and the last there have only ever been 13 county records of Mouse-ear Groundling Caryocolum fraternella, so nice to get another one.

Mouse-ear Groundling Caryocolum fraternella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th July

I didn't immediately recognise this distinctive-looking Phyllonorycter but eventually worked out that it was Common Alder Midget Phyllonorycter rajella.  The brown (not orange) ground colour is apparently quite frequent with this species, though not shared by all examples.  It was another new species for the year.

Common Alder Midget Phyllonorycter rajella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th July

House Groundling Bryotropha domestica and Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana were also new for the year.  Other micros included Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, 3 Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, 26 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, 3 Little Ermels Swammerdamia pyrella, Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora lutipennella, 2 Golden-brown Tubics Crassa unitella, 6 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 3 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 3 Orange Crests Helcystogramma rufescens, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, 5 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, 2 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, 2 White-triangle Buttons Acleris holmiana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 3 Holly Tortrixes Rhopobota naevana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, 31 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 3 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Elder Pearl Anania coronata, 25 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella and White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, North Elmham, 19th July

There was nothing new for the year among the macros but a good variety nevertheless including Small Scallop, Purple Thorn and Cream-bordered Green Pea.  The others, including 3 species of Hawk-moth and 4 species of Prominent, were 2 Chinese Characters, Large Emerald, 2 Blood-veins, 10 Small Fan-footed Waves, 14 Single-dotted Waves, 7 Riband Waves, 3 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 3 Early Thorns, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 3 Willow Beauties, Privet Hawk-moth, Poplar Hawk-moth, 3 Elephant Hawk-moths, Pebble Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, 2 Pale Prominents, 3 Yellow-tails, Black Arches, 7 Rosy Footmen, 18 Dingy Footmen, 4 Scarce Footmen, 12 Common Footmen, 2 Buff Ermines, 2 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, Nutmeg, Clay, 3 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Dun-bars, 3 Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustics, Lesser Common Rustic, 2 Dusky Sallows, Ear Moth, 7 Uncertains, 4 Nut-tree Tussocks, Straw Dot and Snout.

Lesser Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th July

There was a good haul of other insects too.  A Pale Evening Dun Procloeon bifidum was the only Mayfly but lacewings consisted of 6 Cunctochrysa albolineata, 4 Dichochrysa flavifrons and a Micromus variegatus.  Caddisflies included 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula and a Leptocerus tineiformis.

Bugs were better - as well as 3 Birch Shieldbugs, Forest Bug and the leafhopper Iassus lanio there were 3 new species for the year: the splendid Campyloneura virgula, a Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis and the leafhopper with a sad face pattern on its scutellum, Lamprotettix nitidulus.

Campyloneura virgula, North Elmham, 19th July

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis, North Elmham, 19th July

Lamprotettix nitidulus, North Elmham, 19th July

There were as many beetles with Ilybius fuliginosus, 6 Bradycellus verbascis, Aphodius rufipes, Rhagonycha fulva, Lagria hirta and another which I've spent too long attempting to key out and have put to one side to look at again after I've caught up with everything else.

Bradycellus verbascis, North Elmham, 19th July

The following night was dead by comparison - just 43 moths of 27 species!  They were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Large Emerald, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Early Thorns, 2 Scalloped Oaks, Poplar Hawk-moth, Pebble Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Brown-tail, Yellow-tail, 4 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, Ruby Tiger, Nutmeg, Cloaked Minor, 2 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic and 3 Nut-tree Tussocks.

It was equally poor for other insects with just one caddisfly (Limnephilus marmoratus) and one beetle (Brown Chafer) recorded.   Fortunately this was just a temporary blip and things warmed up again the next day - more on that later...