Review of 2019 and 2020 - Bugs: Ground Bugs

GROUND BUGS (LYGAEIDAE)


Cymus glandicolor - One on Pendulous Sedge by the dyke by the railway at the bottom of the meadows on 25th May 2020, the first time I've found this species.

Cymus glandicolor, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2020

Drymus brunneus - My first examples of this species found in the garden moth trap on 22nd April and 3rd December 2019.  The second was particularly troublesome to identify as it only seemed to have a single small tooth/spine on its front femora, leading me away from Drymus.  However on very careful examination in good light and held at just the right angle under the microscope I could see two small shiny spots on the underside of the femora close to the small tooth which were presumably the spines, albeit so short they didn't actually project when viewed from the side (or maybe the actual spines had broken off somehow and these were their bases?).  The brown rear section of the pronotum was much less obvious than I had expected, but clearly present when looked for carefully.  In addition to these a nymph found on 21st July was very probably this species - thanks to Uģis Piterāns and Tristan Bantock for input on this via Twitter.

Drymus brunneus, North Elmham, 22nd April 2019

Drymus brunneus, North Elmham, 3rd Decenber 2019

probable Drymus brunneus nymph, North Elmham, 21st July 2019

Nettle Ground Bug Heterogaster urticae - It's not every day that you're sitting in your study and a lifer walks across the desk underneath your arms, but that's what happened on 11th March 2019, and then I found another in my study on 23rd March.  They had both presumably flown in through the window, though whether it's normal for them to come indoors I'm not sure.  My study is a bit of a mess but last time I checked there weren't any nettle beds growing in it.  I found another on a wooden fencepost at the meadows on 30th October 2020.

Nettle Ground Bug Heterogaster urticae, North Elmham, 11th March 2019

Nettle Ground Bug Heterogaster urticae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th October 2020

European Chinchbug Ischnodemus sabuleti - I found one of these walking along a fallen willow branch at the meadows on 20th April 2019, a new bug for me.  Then one swept from Meadowsweet not far from the first one on 20th July 2020.

European Chinchbug Ischnodemus sabuleti, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th April 2019

European Chinchbug Ischnodemus sabuleti, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae - A bare minimum of 300 on Downy Birch catkins at the meadows on 6th June 2019 with smaller numbers subsequently.  I noticed large numbers on Birch at the allotments around the same time so perhaps a good year for them, although it wasn't until 25th July that I recorded them in my garden moth trap.  I found a nymph on 10th August and then trapped 6 adults between 10th October and 1st November.  Also a nymph at Foxley Wood on 17th August.  Far fewer in 2020, but at the meadows that was because the birches had been chopped down by the railway company in the meantime.  At home in 2020, single adults in the garden moth trap on 12th April and 19th August.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th June 2019

nymph of Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 10th August 2019

nymph of Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 15th August 2019 (same individual as above but after moulting)

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 12th April 2020

Nysius huttoni - My first record of this species was an individual which emerged in a pot in which I had overwintered a leaf-mine of the moth Ectoedemia quinquella.  I presume an earlier life-stage of it had either been on the Oak leaf I collected (from the Cathedral Meadows on 2nd November 2018) or in the compost that I had put in the bottom of the pot (from my garden on or shortly after the same day).

Nysius huttoni, North Elmham, 24th April 2019

Scolopostethus affinis - Having recorded one at the Cathedral Meadows in 2018 I recorded my first 3 for the garden in 2019, on 3rd July, 2nd September and 21st December (all to MV light).  Two more in 2020, one emerging in a pot containing an over-wintered leaf-mine of the moth Tischeria ekebladella (in an Oak leaf) on 29th March and one in the moth trap on 9th November.

Scolopostethus affinis, North Elmham, 3rd July 2019

Scolopostethus affinis, North Elmham, 2nd September 2019

Scolopostethus affinis, North Elmham, 29th March 2020

Scolopostethus grandis - One in the garden moth trap on 7th April 2020.  At 4.6mm it was significantly larger than the affinis from a few days earlier (which I still had so could compare side by side) and also differed in having dark tips to the second antennal segment and much smaller mesosternal tubercles.  Interestingly both this and the affinis I was looking at at the same time had two antennal segments fused on one antenna.  I see this a lot with springtails but haven't noticed it with bugs before.

Scolopostethus grandis, North Elmham, 7th April 2020

Stygnocoris fuligineus - My first record of this species turned up in a pheremone lure trap intended for Red-belted Clearwings, in my garden on 16th May 2019.

Stygnocoris fuligineus, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Next page: Miridae

A new Pigmy moth and some good bugs

92 moths of 30 species on 18th September was good for the time of year.  They included my first Barred Sallow of the year, my fifth Vetch Sober Aproaerema anthyllidella of the year (not a bad tally for a species I'd only ever seen three times before) and also by far my latest ever Clouded Silver.  The latter was worn, so unlikely a new second generation, but over a month past my previous latest (9th August).  I think it might be the latest ever in Norfolk too.

Barred Sallow, North Elmham, 18th September

Clouded Silver, North Elmham, 18th September

There were a few Neuroptera too: 3 Chrysoperla carnea (plus 2 female aggs.), Conwentzia psociformis and 5 Hemerobius lutescens.  Also no shortage of caddisflies with Oxyethira flavicornis, Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Mottled Sedges Glyphotaelius pellucidus, Limnephilus affinis, 6 Limnephilus auricula, 2 Limnephilus flavicornis, 16 Limnephilus lunatus, 2 Limnephilus marmoratus, 2 Limnephilus sparsus and Limnephilus vittatus.

A new bug for me was Orthotylus marginalis.  Well, it keyed out to this, but the key recommends you check the male genitalia, and this was a female, so not sure if the ID of females is 100% safe or not.

Orthotylus marginalis, North Elmham, 18th September

Another good bug, new for the garden, was the psyllid Psyllopsis fraxinicola.

Psyllopsis fraxinicola, North Elmham, 18th September

A Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae was new for the year.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 18th September

Apparently it's normal for Hawthorn Shieldbug to get darker before hibernating, but I don't often see them like this.

Hawthorn Shieldbug, North Elmham, 18th September

Other bugs were Forest Bug, Psallus varians, 2 Empoasca vitis, 2 Kybos betulicola, 2 Kybos strigilifer, 2 other (female) Kybos sp. and a female Edwardsiana sp.  Other things included 2 Ectopsocus sp. (barflies), the beetle Aphodius rufipes and a Hornet.

I don't think Kybos betulicola and Kybos strigilifer can be reliably separated other than by their male genitalia but interesting that both betulicola differed from both strigilifer in their general colouration, the strigilifer being paler and more yellowy-green.

Kybos betulicola (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th September

Kybos strigilifer (male, gen det), North Elmham, 18th September

The following night there weren't quite so many moths but among them was a Norway-maple Pigmy Ectoedemia sericopeza, a new species for me.  It's a relatively distinctive species among the Nepticulids but although the colour of the collar is a clue it's hard to tell apart from Maple-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia louisella.  The collar colour suggested sericopera but this species was new to Norfolk as recently as 2013 and I'm not sure where my nearest Norway Maple is, it seemed sensible to check its genitalia (well, ok, I would have done anyway even if it was common).  Fortunately there are a couple of very clear differences between the male genitalia of these two species, so the ID was confirmed.  I think it was the first time an adult has been recorded in Norfolk, except where bred out from a mine (but there's been another since).

Norway-maple Pigmy Ectoedemia sericopeza (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th September

The other moths were 2 Garden Midgets Phyllonorycter messaniella, White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Riband Wave, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 3 Brimstone Moths, 3 Dusky Thorns, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, White-point, Common Wainscot, Beaded Chestnut, 10 Lunar Underwings, Straw Dot and 2 Snouts.

A Hemerobius lutescens was the only lacewing and there were fewer caddisflies: Grammotaulius nigropunctatus, 10 Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus flavicornis, 11 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus, Limnephilus sparsus and Halesus radiatus.

There were a few leafhoppers though, including Edwardsiana lethierryi, a new species for the garden.

Edwardsiana lethierryi (male, gen det), North Elmham, 19th September

The other leafhoppers were 2 Empoasca vitis, Kybos sp. and 4 Fagocyba cruenta. Other bugs were Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae and Lygus pratensis.  The barkfly Valenzuela flavidus was new for the year for the garden.

Valenzuela flavodus, North Elmham, 19th September

The only other things I recorded were 2 Hornets and 2 Common Frogs.

The following night was much quieter with just 17 moths: Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Beaded Chestnuts, 4 Lunar Underwings, Vine's Rustic and Snout.

Other things were 2 Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewings), Hemerobius lutescens (brown lacewing), Mottled Sedge Glyphotaelius pellucidus, 5 Limnephilus auricula and 3 Limnephilus lunatus (caddisflies), Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug, Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Ectopsocus petersi (barkfly) and 2 more Ectopscous sp.

Garden-first Cochylis hybridella

Just 12 days earlier I had seen my first ever White-bodied Conch Cochylis hyrbidella at Surlingham; now on Thursday 7th September I had one in my garden trap.  It sounds like this species has become much commoner in Norfolk in recent years.

White-bodied Conch Cochylis hybridella, North Elmham, 7th September

A Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana was new for the year.

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana, North Elmham, 7th September

Other than those it was pretty quiet: Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Blood-veins, Small Blood-vein, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Flounced Rustics and 4 Snouts.  Also 2 Small Silver Sedges Lepidostoma hirtum, Limnephilus auricula, Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus (all caddisflies), Lamprotettix nitidulus (leafhopper) and 2 Aphodius rufipes (beetles).

15 moths of 7 species was pretty dire the following night: 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Light Emerald, Square-spot Rustic and 5 Flounced Rustics.

Even fewer moths the following night but they did include my first Frosted Orange of the year.  The others were Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, 2 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Green Carpet, 2 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic, 6 Flounced Rustics and Burnished Brass.

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 9th September

There wasn't much excitement the following night: Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, Currant Pug, Brimstone Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, Flounced Rustic, Frosted Orange, Burnished Brass, 4 Snouts and the beetle Aphodius rufipes.

The highlight on 11th was 2 Purple Bars, the first time I've recorded this species in September and the first time I've had more than one in a night at home.  Other moths were 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 6 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Common Wainscot, 6 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 8 Snouts.

This Feathered Thorn was new for the year on Tuesday 12th:

Feathered Thorn, North Elmham, 12th September

Other moths were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 9 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Flame Shoulder, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Common Wainscot, 2 Flounced Rustics, Vine's Rustic and 3 Snouts.  Also the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and caddisflies 5 Limnephilus auricula and 5 Limnephilus lunatus.

A Sallow and 3 Lunar Underwings were new species for the year on the otherwise unremarkable night of Wednesday 13th.  The rest were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 7 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Flounced Rustic and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

Sallow, North Elmham, 13th September

Lunar Underwing, North Elmham, 13th September

A slight improvement in numbers the following night, though nothing very remarkable: Fulvous Clothes Moth Tinea semifulvella, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, 5 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 7 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Lunar Underwing, Flounced Rustic, Burnished Brass and 5 Snouts.  Four species of caddisfly were all from the same genus: Limnephilus flavicornis, 4 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus marmoratus and Limnephilus vittatus. There was also the mayfly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum and a Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 14th September

The following night was back to normal with Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, Single-dotted Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Light Emerald, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lunar Underwing, 3 Flounced Rustics, Snout and the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus.

New for Norfolk!

On Thursday 1st June I had a first for Norfolk in my moth trap!  It wasn't a moth, but a Wax Fly, not flies but relatives of Lacewings.  Unlike the larger and more familiar green and brown lacewings these tiny insects are covered in white powdery scales.  They are otherwise pretty non-descript and there are a number of species - some can be identified by external features such as wing venation while others, including this one, require examination of the male genitalia.  Fortunately this one was a male, and I did the necessary... it proved to be Coniopteryx esbenpeterseni, a species first recognised in Britain 30 years ago but subsequently found (by checking museum specimens) to have been present here much longer.  It has proved to be fairly common and widespread across much of southern and central England and was presumed to be present in Norfolk... but until now there were no actual records in Norfolk.

Coniopteryx esbenpeterseni (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st June - the first record for Norfolk!

Among the moths only a couple of species were new for the year: 2 Common Rush Case-bearers Coleophora alticolella and Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana.

Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st June

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 1st June

Other moths that night were 8 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima, Maiden's Blush, Blood-vein, Treble Brown Spot, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 4 Green Carpets, 2 Mottled Pugs, 9 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Poplar Hawk-moth, Coxcomb Prominent, Pale Prominent, 7 White Ermines, 5 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lychnis, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 3 Brown Rustics, Angle Shades, Clouded-bordered Brindle, 7 Treble Lines and 9 Straw Dots.

Chalk Knot-horn Phycitodes maritima, North Elmham, 1st June

Buff Ermine, North Elmham, 1st June

The Mayfly Lake Olive Cloeon simile was my first here this year.

Lake Olive Cloeon simile, North Elmham, 1st June

Caddisflies included Athripsodes aterrimus and Mystacides longicornis, the former being new for the year.

Athripsodes aterrimus, North Elmham, 1st June

This soldier beetle proved to be the reddish form of Cantharis rufa - the first time I've positively identified this species.

Cantharis rufa, North Elmham, 1st June

The bug Kleidocerys resedae was my first this year.

Kleidocerys resedae, North Elmham, 1st June

Thompson Water moths & inverts

On Saturday night the forecast looked interesting for moths - mild and cloudy but with the likelihood of a little light rain later on.  Dave and I headed down to Thompson Water, thinking that if the rain came to pass we would just use our headtorches, but if it remained dry the traps were in the car.  As it turned out the rain started before we'd left home, much more than the forecast had suggested, and it didn't let up when we arrived.  We decided to press on anyway, with headtorches of course, and quickly found a couple of Water Carpets, followed by 2 Hebrew Characters.  A wander through the woodland towards Thompson Common produced no less than 34 March Tubics Diurnea fagella and we eventually added 3 Engrailed and best of all, a Mottled Grey.  There were lots of Common Toads enjoying the puddles - I counted 33 but I'm sure I wouldn't have had to try very hard to reach a much higher number.

Mottled Grey, Thompson Water, 18th March

At home Early Thorn and, at long last, Common Quaker were added to the garden year list.

Early Thorn, North Elmham, 18th March

Common Quaker, North Elmham, 18th March

Other moths at home were Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Shoulder Stripe, Oak Beauty, 2 Dotted Borders, 3 Small Quakers, 3 Clouded Drabs and 4 Hebrew Characters.

On Sunday night the forecast was similar - mild and cloudy - except this time no rain was forecast.  We decided to try Thompson Water again, this time hopefully being able to put the traps out.  Ominously, and contrary to the forecast, it was raining as we headed there again and still raining when we arrived, albeit much lighter than yesterday - just a light drizzle really.  We put Dave's battery-operated trap up somewhere sheltered and then decided that the drizzle had become so light now that we would risk the others too.

We found another 7 Mottled Greys, some of which were quite worn and we pondered for a while whether they really were Mottled Greys or Early Tooth-striped.  Eventually we settled on the former but then I found one which I really wasn't convinced by - surely this one was an Early Tooth-striped?  I retained it to check and was later able to confirm that it was indeed a female Early Tooth-striped.

Early Tooth-striped, Thompson Water, 19th March

Other moths were about 20 March Tubics Diurnea fagella, 6 Winter Shades Tortricodes alternella, 4 March Moths, 4 Water Carpets, 4 Brindled Pugs, Early Thorn, 8 Oak Beauties, 4 Engraileds, Red Chestnut, 7 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 2 Hebrew Characters and 2 Chestnuts.

Red Chestnut, Thompson Water, 19th March

Three beetles all proved to be species I hadn't identified before: Mud-dweller Ilybius ater, Nebria brevicollis and Silpha atrata.  Actually I had seen the Silpha before but without access to decent reference material I had misidentified it as a different Silpha species.

Mud-dweller Ilybius ater, Thompson Water, 19th March

Nebria brevicollis, Thompson Water, 19th March

Silpha atrata, Thompson Water, 19th March

When I retained a smaller creature I thought it might be a rove beetle, having a long flexible abdomen apparently not covered by elytra.  But under the lens it didn't look like a beetle at all, lacking any elytra but being covered in long hairs.  A really strange thing that I couldn't even identify to order at first.  Springtails (Collembola) came to mind but I dismissed that thought as at about 4mm long it was several times bigger than springtails I'd seen before, but when I looked at it under the microscope and saw its furcula (tail-like appendages folded beneath the body that are used for jumping) I realised it was a springtail after all.  Turns out it was Orchesella villosa - sometimes called Hairy Springtail but I don't think that name is always reserved for this species as opposed to others in the family.  According to the maps at NBN Gateway there aren't any records in Norfolk, but I suspect that has more to do with the lack of Collembola records in their database than it being remotely unusual.

Orchesella villosa, Thompson Water, 19th March

Other things of note included Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus and some White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger.

Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae, Thompson Water, 19th March

Common Toads were not in such evidence as on Saturday but a few could still be found in the puddles.

Common Toads, Thompson Water, 19th March

At home 2 Twin-spotted Quakers were new for the garden year list.  There were also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Early Thorn, 2 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs, 5 Hebrew Characters, Early Grey and Chestnut.

Twin-spotted Quaker, North Elmham, 19th March