Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Friday 23 April 2021

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 CiarĂ¡n 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

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