Review of 2019 and 2020 - Bugs: Keeled, Burrowing and Typical Shieldbugs and Squashbugs

KEELED SHIELDBUGS (ACANTHOSOMATIDAE)


Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale - One at the Meadows on 21st May 2019 and one at home on 26th July (an early instar found on my car).  The early instar was quite a different-looking beast to the adults I am more used to seeing.  4 adults in 20202, at Hills and Holes on 21st May, at Whitwell Street on 3rd September and in the garden moth trap on 8th and 15th September.

Hawthorn Shieldbug (early instar), North Elmham, 26th July 2019

Hawthorn Shieldbug, Hills and Holes, 21st May 2020

Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus - At least 30 caught in my garden moth trap over 14 dates between 24th June and 9th September 2019 (not counted one night, max 5 on 29th June).  Also 6 at Swanton Novers on 27th August.  Fewer in 2020 when 15 between 5th and 25th August.

Birch Shieldbug, North Elmham, 25th August 2020

Parent Bug Elasmucha grisea - At least 6 on eggs on Downy Birch at the meadows on 6th June 2019 and one on 15th.  Sadly the birches have been chopped down now.  2 in the garden moth trap on 31st July 2020, my first here since 2017, and one at Whitwell Street on 3rd September.

Parent Bug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June 2019

Parent Bugs, North Elmham, 31st July 2020

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SQUASHBUGS (COREIDAE)


Dock Bug Coreus marginatus - 24 seen on 10 dates at the Cathedral Meadows in 2019 inlcuding one late instar nymph.  The majority were on Dock between 20th April and 25th August when there was a peak of 9 on 12th May, but there was one on Ivy on 12th October and one came to light on 1st November.  Also 3 on blackberries at Lyng Easthaugh on 15th September.  Fewer in 2020 with just 7 at the meadows between 2nd May and 11th September (including another late instar nymph) but in 2020 I recorded my first garden records with one on Mint on 10th April and one on Honeysuckle on 12th April.  Continuing the non-Dock theme I also found 8 on Fat Hen at the allotments on 6th September.

Dock Bug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019

Dock Bug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st June 2020

Dock Bug nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2020

Box Bug Gonocerus acuteangulatus - My first example of this species was at the meadows (strictly speaking just a few inches outside of the recording area, in Church Lane), on 14th September 2019.  It was on Ivy but with Hawthorn and Plums in the immediate vicinity.  I found another along the same lane, this time inside the recording area, on 29th September 2020.

Box Bug, North Elmham (Church Lane), 14th September 2019

Box Bug, North Elmham (Church Lane), 29th September 2020

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BURROWING SHIELDBUGS (CYDNIDAE)


Bordered Shieldbug Legnotus limbosus - Another new species for me, came to light at the meadows on 31st May 2019.

Bordered Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 31st May 2019

Pied Shieldbug Tritomegas bicolor - After a frustrating brief view of what was almost certainly one at the meadows on 25th March 2020 (I was looking for the species at the time, but it disappeared into the White Dead Nettle as I clapped eyes on it) I got a proper look at one in a different part of the meadows on 24th April (seen again in the same area in April 2021).

Pied Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th April 2020

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TYPICAL SHIELDBUGS (PENTATOMIDAE)


Bishop's Mitre Shieldbug Aelia acuminata - One at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020 was my first example of this distinctive species.

Bishop's Mitre Shieldbug, Brancaster, 2nd July 2020

Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum - Recorded at the meadows on 3 dates between 20th April and 25th May 2019 (including 6 on the latter date) and on 6 dates between 25th April and 19th August.  Also recorded in my garden for the first time with one on a dead Buddleia flowerhead on 24th August 2019 and another on 27th.

Hairy Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd May 2019

Brassica Shieldbug Eurydema oleracea - A new species for me with 6 (3 mating pairs) on Wintercress at the meadows on 25th May 2019.  Then 10 at Frost's Common on 21st May 2020, again on Wintercress and agin including several mating pairs.

Brassica Shieldbugs, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Brassica Shieldbugs, Frost's Common, 21st May 2020

Woundwort Shieldbug Eysarcoris venustissimus - 3 on Mullein at the meadows on 21st June 2019.  There is Hedge Woundwort growing nearby (and Marsh Woundwort even closer but I'm not sure they go on that).

Woundwort Shieldbugs, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

Small Grass Shieldbug Neottiglossa pusilla - I had the good fortune of meeting Steve Lane while looking for dragonflies at Winterton on 19th August 2019 and he showed me one of these that he had swept; a new species for me.

Small Grass Shieldbug, Winterton, 19th August 2019

Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina - Adults in my garden on 19th April and 24th November 2019 and 17th May 2020, 2 of which came to light.  A total of 10 found at the meadows including 7 nymphs: on 11th and 30th September 2019 and between 20th July and 16th September 2020.  These were found during the daytime on a variety of plants including White Willow, Ash (among keys), Currant, Pedunculate Oak, Dog Rose, Hazel and Great Mullein.

Common Green Shieldbug, North Elmham, 19th April 2019

Common Green Shieldbug nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th September 2019

Common Green Shieldbug nymph, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Common Green Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th September 2020

Common Green Shieldbug nymphs, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th September 2020

Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes - I still know these by the name given in my old Michael Chinery guide to insects  (Forest Bug) but Red-legged Shieldbug seems to be the more popular name for them nowadays (and is probably more appropriate) so I'll use that here.  Totals of 48 came to my garden moth trap over 16 dates between 23rd July and 12th September 2019 and 58 over 20 dates between 24th July and 8th September 2020.  Peak counts were 11 both years (3rd September 2019 and 14th August 2020).  Much smaller numbers seen at the meadows (mostly adults to light but also a couple of nymphs by torchlight and beating).  Also recorded at Swanton Novers where 100 came to light on 27th August 2019, Row Heath (West Runton) and Whitwell Street.

early instar Red-legged Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th October 2019

mid instar Red-legged Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

Red-legged Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2020

Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus lituratus - A final instar swept from Broom at the meadows on 7th August 2019.  It was taken home to check the ID and moulted to adult on 11th August.

final instar Gorse Shieldbug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th August 2019

the same Gorse Shieldbug, teneral after moulting to adult, 11th August 2019

the same Gorse Shieldbug a day later, 12th August 2019

Next page: Rhopalidae

Spongefly

The highlight from my garden moth trap on 10th June was my first Spongefly, a group of lacewings represented by one species in Norfolk, Sisyra fuscata.  Compared to the brown lacewings (at least the ones I'm familiar with) it was small and dark, but sadly it was on its last legs (although that hadn't been apparent) and died before I managed to get any photos of it.  Not only that but it had covered itself in moth scales left in the pot I used so the photo really is bad!

Sisyra fuscata (dead), North Elmham, 10th June

A number of moths were new for the year: Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 Little Grass-veneers Platytes cerussella, Wormwood Pug, Dingy Footman and Fan-foot.

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, North Elmham, 10th June

Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, North Elmham, 10th June

Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, North Elmham, 10th June

Little Grsas-veneer Platytes cerussella, North Elmham, 10th June

Fan-foot, North Elmham, 10th June

Also of note were 2 Hawthorn Bent-wings Bucculatrix bechsteinella - my third and fourth here this year but a species I'd not recorded here at all in previous years.

Hawthorn Bent-wing Bucculatrix bechsteinella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

Other moths were Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Sloe Flat-body Luquetia lobella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneers Crambus lathoniellus, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, 5 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, Common Swift, Small Dusty Wave, 4 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, Sandy Carpet, 3 Common Pugs, 2 Green Pugs, Brown Silver-line, Scorched Wing, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 3 Light Emeralds, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 White Ermines, Buff Ermine, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 4 Ingrailed Clays, Shears, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Brown Rustic, Small Clouded Brindle, Tawny Marbled Minor (also another Marbled Minor agg. that escaped), 6 Middle-barred Minors, Treble Lines, 3 Mottled Rustics, Marbled White Spot, 3 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 20 Straw Dots, 5 Snouts and 4 Small Fan-foots.

Caddisflies were represented by 2 Ecnomus tenellus (new for the year), Goera pilosa and Mystacides longicornis.

Ecnomus tenellus, North Elmham, 10th June

Goera pilosa, North Elmham, 10th June

Birch Shieldbug, Fly Bug Reduvius personatus (sometimes known as Masked Hunter) and 7-spot Ladybird were all apparently new for the year though I've a feeling I've had the ladybird before and forgotten to record it.

Birch Shieldbug, North Elmham, 10th June

Next day I found 2 Case-bearing Clothes Moths Tinea pellionella in the house, a new species for the year here.

Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 10th June

A decent evening at last

Warm, calm and cloudy - a perfect recipe for moths.  For the first time this year all three were in play on Friday night (well, not quite calm, but no more than a light breeze) and we were sure to enjoy the best night of the year so far.  Indeed it proved, though I think I've had better nights at this time of year in better years.

A little bit of dusking on the patch secured Skin Moth Monopis laevigella, Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella and Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus in the Beetley area. 

Swan-feather Dwarf Elachista argentella, Rawhall Wood, 22nd May

Then I set up the light at Creaking Gate Lake where things got off to a slower start than I had anticipated.  Eventually it picked up and a reasonable selection was accrued.

The highlight was a new moth for me, Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana.There are very few inland records of this moth and it's not an easy ID to separate from the slightly more frequently-recorded Teasel Marble Endothenia gentianaeana.  Size was just about within range for a small gentianaeana and I thought at first I could detect the small pale mark beyond the post median fascia that is supposed to be shown by that species.  But it had little grey/violet irrotation in the base, no violet near the tip and the pattern of the apical region seemed better for oblongana - indeed one of the oblongana shown on Lepiforum looked  a very good match for my moth.  They're not the easiest to gen det either, but all internal features I could see seemed to support oblongana.

Downland Marble Endothenia oblongana, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Other highlights included Figure of Eighty, a species I've only seen occasonally, and my first Lime Hawkmoth of the year.

Figure of Eighty, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Lime Hawkmoth, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

The supporting cast were 3 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, 2 Ribwort Slenders Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 2 Dark-barred Tortrices Syndemis musculana, Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 + Green Carpets, May Highflyer, Brindled Pug, Treble-bar, Brimstone Moth, Scalloped Hazel, Common White Wave, Iron Prominent, 2 Pebble Prominents, Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Pale Tussocks, Orange Footman, 2 White Ermines, Cinnabar, Least Black Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Hebrew Character, Angle Shades and Nut-tree Tussock.

Common Swift, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

May Highflyer, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Silver-ground Carpet, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Non-lepidopteran interest was kept up with a bug-lifer, Harpocera thoracica.

 Harpocera thoracica, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Among the beetles were a couple I can't identify and a couple I've tenatively identified - let me know if you can help.  Also Cream-spot Ladybird and, once again, 16 Cockchafers - seems to be a good year for them, unfortunately.

unidentified Beetle, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

unidentified Beetle, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

probable Athous haemorrhoidalis, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

apparent Cantharis nigricans, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Plenty of other insects there too, including the first Bramble Sawfly that I recall seeing.

Bramble Sawfly Arge cyanocrocea, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Birch Shieldbugs, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Chloeon diperum, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus, Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

Micropterna lateralis (I think), Creaking Gate Lake, 22nd May

I gave up shortly after midnight and returned home at which point it started drizzling.  The garden was heaving with moths.  I ended up with 68 moths of 41 species - including no less than 16 that were new for the year for the garden.  Those were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Ribwort Slender Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Water Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, May Highflyer, Sandy Carpet, White-pinion Spotted, 2 Orange Footmen, Shears and Rustic Shoulder-knot.

Shears, North Elmham, 22nd May

Grey Pine Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd May

May Highflyer, North Elmham, 22nd May

Orange Footman, North Elmham, 22nd May

Rustic Shoulder-knot, North Elmham, 22nd May

White-pinion Spotted, North Elmham, 22nd May

Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, North Elmham, 22nd May

Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, North Elmham, 22nd May

Bird's-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, North Elmham, 22nd May

Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, North Elmham, 22nd May

Water Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd May

Sandy Carpet, North Elmham, 22nd May

Among the others another Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella was notable, as were Pale Pinion and Herald.

Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella, North Elmham, 22nd May

Pale Pinion, North Elmham, 22nd May

Herald, North Elmham, 22nd May

5 Waved Umbers was my highest count ever of this species.

Waved Umbers, North Elmham, 22nd May

The others were Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Yellow-faced Bell Notocelia cynosbatella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Green Carpet, 9 Common Pugs, Treble-bar, 7 Brimstone Moths, 2 Scalloped Hazels, Buff-tip, 2 Pale Tussocks, White Ermine, 2 Cinnabars, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Bright-line Brown-eye, Angle Shades and 3 Treble Lines.

Angle Shades, North Elmham, 22nd May

Cinnabar, North Elmham, 22nd May

Treble-bar, North Elmham, 22nd May

Other insects included a Birch Shieldbug here too:

Birch Shieldbug, North Elmham, 22nd May

This caddisfly is a new one for me, I think - though I'm not 100% sure if the ID is correct or if there are other similar species that should be considered.

probable Ecnomus tenellus, North Elmham, 22nd May