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

Pale Eggar and Sycamore-seed Pigmy

Three new macros for the garden year list on 28th August including my second ever Pale Eggar.  The other two were Frosted Orange and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Pale Eggar, North Elmham, 28th August

Frosted Orange, North Elmham, 28th August

Pinion-streaked Snout, North Elmham, 28th August

Two of the 3 Silver Ys were the tiny variant f. gammina, while other migrants included Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella and Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis.

Silver Ys (typical individual above, f. gammina below), North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Black-headed Conches Cochylis atricapitana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, 2 Chequered Grass-veneers Catoptria falsella, 12 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Grey Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Orange Swift, Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, Purple Bar, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 5 Green Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 16 Brimstone Moths, 2 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Common Wave, Poplar Hawkmoth, 11 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 10 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Small Square-spots, 14 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Knot Grass, Copper Underwing, 11 Flounced Rustics, 4 Burnished Brasses, Spectacle, 9 Straw Dots and 8 Snouts.

Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, North Elmham, 28th August

Other wildlife included Common Frog, the Brown Lacewing Hemerobius lutescens, Forest Bug and a Common Carder Bee.

Common Carder Bee, North Elmham, 28th August

There were far fewer moths on 29th - just these: Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Orange Swift, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Garden Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, 7 Flame Shoulders, 12 Large Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 7 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 10 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Mouse Moth, 5 Flounced Rustics, Rosy Rustic, 4 Burnished Brasses and Snout.

The day after was better again, the highlight being a new moth for me, Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella.

Sycamore-seed Pigmy Ectoedemia decentella, North Elmham, 28th August

A Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella was, perhaps surprisingly, new for the house.

Birch Ermel Swammerdamia caesiella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 28th August

This Feathered Gothic was also new for the year.

Feathered Gothic, North Elmham, 28th August

The rest were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, 3 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, 3 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 3 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Blood-vein, Common Carpet, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 7 Green Carpets, Lime-speck Pug, Triple-spotted Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Treble-bars, 2 Yellow-barred Brindles, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Willow Beauty, 7 Light Emeralds, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dingy Footman, 5 Flame Shoulders, 19 Large Yellow Underwings, 13 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Small Square-spots, 13 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 7 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 2 Common Wainscots, Straw Underwing, 5 Flounced Rustics, Burnished Brass, Silver Y, Spectacle, 8 Straw Dots and 10 Snouts.

Bugs included Lygus pratensis, new for the house, Birch Shieldbug, Forest Bug and the leafhopper Balclutha punctata.  Lacewings were represented by Hemerobius humulinus.

Lygus pratensis, North Elmham, 28th August

Balclutha punctata, North Elmham, 28th August