Review of 2019 and 2020 - Bugs: Plant bugs - part 7: Phylini II (Phoenicocoris to Psallus)

PLANT BUGS (MIRIDAE) (continued)


Tribe PHYLINI (continued)


Phoenicocoris obscurellus - One in my garden moth trap on 13th July 2019, my second record here following one in 2018.

Phoenicocoris obscurellus, North Elmham, 13th July 2019

Phylus coryli - One in the garden on 25th June 2020 came to a pheremone lure trap for Yellow-legged Clearwing.  I caught 5 in my moth trap in 2017-18 but none recorded in 2019.

Phylus coryli, North Elmham, 25th June 2020

Phylus melanocephalus - I gather that 'Phylus palliceps' is now considered to be a variety of Phylus melanocephalus and not a separate species - both forms occur here though the orange-headed palliceps type are commoner than the original black-headed melanocephalus.  Singles caught in my garden moth trap on 24th June and 16th July 2019 (both palliceps-type) and 7 between 11th June and 4th July 2020 (3 palliceps-type and 4 traditional melanocephalus).  Also a black-headed one swept off Broom at the meadows on the earlier date of 1st June 2020.

Phylus melanocephalus, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Phylus melanocephalus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st June 2020

Phylus melanocephalus, North Elmham, 12th June 2020

Plagiognathus arbustorum - One in my moth trap on 24th June 2019 was new for my garden; another here (found indoors) on 6th July 2020.  The same day as the latter one on St John's Wort at the meadows and then one there on Hogweed on 20th July.

Plagiognathus arbustorum, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Plagiognathus arbustorum, North Elmham, 6th July 2020

Plagiognathus arbustorum, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 6th July 2020

Plagiognathus chrysanthemi - One swept at the meadows on 20th July 2020, my second record of this species.  Then a week later one in the garden moth trap, my first here.

Plagiognathus chrysanthemi, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th July 2020

Plagiognathus chrysanthemi, North Elmham, 27th July 2020

Psallus falleni - 4 males in the garden moth trap between 10th and 17th August 2020.  I'd only identified this species once before (2018) but I think I have overlooked it in the past (as I think I did for what was almost certainly another one on 8th August 2020 - misidentified at the time due to a contradiction in the reference I was using regarding the width of pale at the base of the cuneus).

Psallus falleni, North Elmham, 12th August 2020 - showing aedeagus in second photo

Psallus falleni, North Elmham, 14th August 2020

Psallus flavellus - None.  I identified this species in my garden in 2018.


Psallus haematodes - One at the meadows on 22nd August 2019 and one in the garden moth trap on 1st August 2020 - I've had 1-2 here before in 2016 and 2018.

Psallus haematodes, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd August 2019

Psallus haematodes, North Elmham, 1st August 2020

Psallus perrisi - I identified 3 of these from my garden and 1 from the meadows in 2018 but haven't found any males since.  Some female perrisi/wagneri were found in 2020 - see under wagneri below.


Psallus varians - I had thought this was the commonest Psallus here in the past but in 2020 when I realised I'd been confused by the contradiction in my reference over Psallus falleni, I reviewed my previous records (only from photos as I didn't keep the specimens).  I think some of them are probably fine but several look like they may have been misidentified and so I'm now considering the latter unproven.  Anyway, I had identified 5 here (all to light) in 2019 but am now only leaving one of those records standing, that from 1st June.  I've also reviewed the 11 I had recorded here in 2018 and deleted 5 of those (but the other 6 look good).  Some of those I've deleted may well have been correctly identified but others were probably falleni.  Only one identified here in 2020, on 24th June, and I think I may have identified that one before realising the problem with falleni, so am excluding that one from the records too (it looks a bit doubtful from the photo).  The same applies to my first record from the meadows in 2020 but those on 27th May and 23rd June were processed after I was aware of the problem and I think these are fine (the latter was a male, gen detted).

Psallus varians, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th May 2020

Psallus varians, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd June 2020 - showing aedeagus in second photo

Psallus wagneri - Female bugs at the meadows on 27th May (3) and 13th June 2020 were either this species or Psallus perrisi.  I did have a confirmed perrisi here in 2018 but the only fully identified record of this duo from the meadows in 2020 was my first confimred male wagneri, on Broom (under Oak) on 1st June.

Psallus wagneri, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st June 2020 - showing slightly different orientations of the aedeagus in second and third photos

Next page: Nabidae

Two new moths for the garden and a new caddisfly

My first Yellow-legged Clearwing of the year, indeed my first clearwing of the year, came to pheronomoe lure on 13th June.

Yellow-legged Clearwing, North Elmham, 13th June

A better night than of late secured two new moths for the garden: Common Thorn Midget Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae and Blackthorn Argent Argyresthia spinosella.

Common Thorn Midget Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae (male, gen det), North Elmham, 13th June

Blackthorn Argent Argyresthia spinosella, North Elmham, 13th June

There were also several new for the year: Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, Fen Crest Brachmia inornatella, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 2 Marsh Greys Eudonia pallida, Wax Moth Galleria mellonella, Latticed Heath, Mottled Beauty, Uncertain, Pinion-streaked Snout and Fan-foot.

Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, North Elmham, 13th June

Fen Crest Brachmia inornatella, North Elmham, 13th June

Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida, North Elmham, 13th June

Wax Moth Galleria mellonella, North Elmham, 13th June

Latticed Heath, North Elmham, 13th June

Mottled Beauty, North Elmham, 13th June

Uncertain, North Elmham, 13th June

The others were 2 Buff Rush Case-bearers Coleophora caespititiella, 3 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streak Grass-veneer Crambus lathoniellus, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Narrow-winged Greys Eudonia angustea, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia woodiella, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Treble Brown Spots, Flame Carpet, 4 Silver-ground Carpets, 3 Common Marbled Carpets, Broken-barred Carpet, Green Carpet, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Brimstone Moth, Willow Beauty, 6 Clouded Silvers, Light Emerald, Poplar Hawk-moth, 2 Elephant Hawk-moths, Orange Footman, 3 White Ermines, 2 Buff Ermines, 5 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 3 Flame Shoulders, 2 Ingrailed Clays, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, 3 Common Wainscots, 4 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, Marbled Minor, 4 Middle-barred Minors, 4 Treble Lines, Burnished Brass, 3 Spectacles, 38 Straw Dots and 2 Snouts.

There were only two caddisflies but one of these was a new one for me, Oecetis furva (the other was Limnephilus auricula).

Oecetis furva (female), North Elmham, 13th June

Bugs consisted of Orthotylus tenellus, Phylus palliceps, Psallus varians and the leafhopper Oncopsis flavicollis. The Orthotylus was a lifer and the palliceps new for the year.  One beetle, Malthinus flaveolus, was also new for the year.

Orthotylus tenellus, North Elmham, 13th June

Phylus palliceps, North Elmham, 13th June

Malthinus flaveolus, North Elmham, 13th June

Anania fuscalis for the third year

Had a look round Lolly Moor with Dave on Sunday 11th June (I know, I'm falling way behind again... will hopefully start catching up now the summer peak has passed).  For the third year running we had several Cinereous Pearls Anania fuscalis - the only site this species is currently known to occur at in Norfolk.  There was a record from near Attleborough in the mid 90s but our records at Lolly Moor over the last three years are the only others in Norfolk since the 1800s.  I can't believe the species isn't present at other sites - worth checking other damp meadows with Yellow Rattle growing.

We also recorded Large Long-horn Nematopogon swammerdamella, Buff Long-horn Nematopogon metaxella, 3 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, Thistle Conch Aethes cnicana, White-barred Tortrix Olindia schumacherana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, probable Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana (had a pale hindwing but was quite worn so perhaps not safe to go on that feature; cirsiana occurs here as well and has similar genitalia) and 5 Grass Rivulets.

Buff Long-horn Nematopogon metaxella, Lolly Moor, 11th June

Thistle Conch Aethes cnicana, Lolly Moor, 11th June

probable Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana, Lolly Moor, 11th June

Dave passed me this moth which he'd caught at home (Toftwood) for me to check - it was a Blotched Piercer Pammene albuginana, a species only recorded in Norfolk half a dozen times.

Blotched Piercer Pammene albuginana, Toftwood, 10th June

Moths at home on the night of 11th included Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Oak Hook-tip, Dark Arches and Beautiful Hook-tip all new for the year.

Small Grey Eudonia mercurella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 11th June

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham, 11th June

Dark Arches, North Elmham, 11th June

Beautiful Hook-tip, North Elmham, 11th June

Other moths were London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Light Brown Apple Moths Epiphyas postvittana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Triple-blotched Bells Notocelia trimaculana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Common Swifts, 2 Currant Pugs, 3 Common Pugs, Clouded Border, 2 Brimstone Moths, 3 Mottled Beauties, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 10 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 5 Ingrailed Clays, Small Square-spot, Lychnis, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Brown Rustic, Marbled Minor, 2 Middle-barred Minors, Uncertain, 3 Mottled Rustics, 4 Straw Dots and Snout.

Other insects in the trap included the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus and the bug Phylus palliceps which was new for the year.

Phylus palliceps, North Elmham, 11th June

New for the year the following night were Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Large Yellow Underwing, Clay and Smoky Wainscot.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 12th June

Large Yellow Underwing, North Elmham, 12th June

Clay, North Elmham, 12th June

Smoky Wainscot, North Elmham, 12th June

Other moths that night were 2 London Dowds Blastobasis lacticolella, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Treble Brown Spots, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Barred Straw, Common Pug, Brimstone Moth, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, Light Emerald, 4 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 3 Ingrailed Clays, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, 2 Brown Rustics, 2 Dark Arches, Middle-barred Minor, 2 Treble Lines, Uncertain, Rustic, Vine's Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass, 7 Straw Dots and Pinion-streaked Snout.

Other things in the trap inlcuded the brown lacewing Hemerobius humulinus, the caddisfly  Limnephilus lunatus, the beetle Aphodius rufipes and another beetle that was new for me, Adrastus pallens.

Adrastus pallens, North Elmham, 12th June