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 3: Mirini II (Pantilius to Stenotus)

PLANT BUGS (MIRIDAE) (continued)


Tribe MIRINI (continued)


Pantilius tunicatus - One of these most marvellous of mirids in my moth trap on 4th October 2019, the fourth consecutive year I have caught one or two here.  So distinctive I didn't feel I needed to retain and photograph it, something I slightly regret now I'm writing about it, especially as I didn't catch one in 2020.


Phytocoris dimidiatus - One in my garden moth trap on 30th September 2020, my second here following one in 2018.



Phytocoris dimidiatus, North Elmham, 30th September 2020 - showing left clasper



Phytocoris longipennis - Singles in my garden moth trap on 27th July 2019 and 8th and 12th August 2020.  I've recorded 1-2 here in each of the last 4 years now.

Phytocoris longipennis, North Elmham, 27th July 2019


Phytocoris longipennis, North Elmham, 8th August 2020


Phytocoris longipennis, North Elmham, 12th August 2020



Phytocoris tiliae - After a blank year in 2019 I caught 2 in the garden in 2020, on 19th August and 22nd September.  Also one landed on my hand at Brancaster on 18th September 2020.

Phytocoris tiliae, North Elmham, 19th August 2020



Phytocoris ulmi - 2 in my garden moth trap on 19th July 2019 and one on 15th July 2020.

Phytocoris ulmi, North Elmham, 19th July 2019


Phytocoris ulmi, North Elmham, 15th July 2020



Phytocoris varipes - Singles in my garden moth trap on 4 nights between 31st July and 21st August 2019.  Having only ever had singles before it was a surprise to kick the 2020 season off with 6 on 4th August, though after this night there were only singles on 3 more dates up to 19th August.  Also 6 swept from Ragwort at the meadows on 19th August.

Phytocoris varipes, North Elmham, 21st August 2019


Phytocoris varipes, North Elmham, 4th August 2020


Phytocoris varipes, North Elmham, 8th August 2020


Phytocoris varipes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th August 2020



Pinalitus cervinus - Totals of 16 caught in my garden moth trap on 10 nights between 7th October and 26th November 2019 and 19 over 17 nights between 7th January and 1st November 2020.  They peaked at 5 on 14th October 2019 but I never caught more than 2 in a night in 2020.  Elsewhere one swept from Hornbeam at the meadows on 22nd September 2020 and 2 in Cornwall on 7th October 2020.  Some examples of this species can resemble Lygus species quite closely and in the past I've struggled to tell them apart.  I think I've figured it out now (size is pretty helpful - it took me a while to appreciate that) so hopefully there aren't any errors in this set of data.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 22nd November 2019


Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 23rd September 2020


Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 27th September 2020



Polymerus unifasciatus - One swept at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.

Polymerus unifasciatus, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020



Striped Oak Bug Rhabdomiris striatellus - One came to light at the Cathedral Meadows on 25th May 2019 - a lovely bug!

Striped Oak Bug Rhabdomiris striatellus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019



Stenotus binotatus - Singles in my garden moth trap on 9th and 17th July 2019 and 2 here on 4th July 2020.  I've recorded this species here in each of the last 5 years.

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham, 17th July 2019


Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham, 4th July 2020


Next page: more Miridae

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