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

Purple Hairstreaks

One of the highlights of a productive visit to the Cathedral Meadows on 2nd July was finding at least 30 Purple Hairstreak butterflies.  Judging from various reports on social media it seemed to be a good year for them so I'd been keeping an eye out for them.  After a couple of failed efforts I finally found them where I most expected them, in the oaks running along the  bottom of the meadows alongside the disused railway.  They were keeping high up so my photographic efforts leave something to be desired...

Purple Hairstreaks, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Other butterflies included over 100 Ringlets and my first Gatekeeper of the year.  The former seem to be having a good year, although I don't have any previous years' data from this site to compare with, but I ended up seeing very few Gatekeepers indeed this year.

Moths included White Oak Midget Phyllonorycter harrisella, 6 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, 15 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, 5 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave and thousands of mines of Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella.

Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July - dark and pale forms

One of at least 3 waxflies was retained for checking and proved to be Conwentzia psociformis,a species I'd only identified once before.

Conwentzia psociformis (male, gen det), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

I only checked 3 of them but if all the soldier beetles were the same species there were at least 40 Rhagonycha fulva.  Other insects included 2 Emperor dragonflies, 8 Meadow Grasshoppers, the mirid bug Stenotus binotatus, a Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius and an Ichneumon wasp that I tried and failed to identify, but a member of the genus Tryphon apparently.

Rhagonycha fulva, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

Tryphon sp., North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd July

That night new for the year (for the garden) were Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Drinker, July Highflyer and Buff Footman, but better than any of them was another Wood Carpet.

Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, North Elmham, 2nd July

Drinker, North Elmham, 2nd July

Buff Footman, North Elmham, 2nd July

Other moths were Beech Midget Phyllonorycter maestingella, Diamond-back Plutella xylostella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple-moth Epiphyas postvittana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 8 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Many-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 9 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Buff Arches, 3 Small Emeralds, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 8 Single-dotted Waves, 3 Riband Waves, 7 Barred Straws, 2 Sandy Carpets, Grey Pug, V-Pug, 2 Green Pugs, 2 Brimstone Moths, 2 Early Thorns, 2 Willow Beauties, 3 Mottled Beauties, 2 Engraileds, Privet Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Buff-tip, 3 Rosy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 39 Common Footmen, 12 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 2 Heart and Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 5 Smoky Wainscots, 2 Common Wainscots, 2 Brown Rustics, Dark Arches, Rufous Minor, Common Rustic (and 1 agg.), 13 Uncertains, Rustic, 5 Mottled Rustics, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot and Snout.

There was also a Common Earwing and Caddisflies included Medium Sedge Goera pilosa (new for the year) and Limnephilus lunatus.

Next day Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana and Mere Wainscot were new for the year.

Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Mere Wainscot, North Elmham, 3rd July

Other moths (there were only 33 species, a low number in July) were 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 5 Riband Waves, 3 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, Clouded Border, Swallow-tailed Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Coxcomb Prominent, 24 Common Footmen, 18 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 3 Heart and Darts, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Smoky Wainscot, Common Rustic, 14 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass and Snout.

hannoverella and dodecella

My first garden Meadow Brown of the year was on 22nd June, along with a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana.  That night the best moth in the trap was a New Poplar Pigmy Ectoedemia hannoverella - a new species for me (or so I thought - read on for a 2018 edit).  Some seem to frown upon even attempting to identify Stigmella/Ectoedemia species in adulthood (the leafmines are generally much easier) but this one keyed out quite smoothly and the genitalia were spot on.  There aren't any records of adults in Norfolk and compared to other Nepticulidae I've identitfied not all that many records of leafmines either.  Most records are from the Brecks and the Fens with just one record from Dereham being relatively close.  However, it's a recent arrival to the UK and is spreading so I shouldn't be surprised if they're all over the county before long.

New Poplar Pigmy Ectoedemia hannoverella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June - or not: see below*

* Edit 2018: OK, there's a reason why as I said above some frown upon attempting to identify these in adulthood.  I got a bit suspicious after having two more in 2017 and another in 2018 which seems a lot for a Poplar-feeding species given the distance from here to the nearest Poplars.  Having looked into it a bit more it now seems possible - indeed likely - that they are not hannoverella but Spotted Black Pigmies Ectoedemia subbimaculella.  I cannot rule out hannoverella, nor the Holm-Oak species heringella as both the external appearance and the genitalia are very similar between all 3 species, but as there is an Oak tree close by (subbimaculella feeds on Oak) and no Poplar or Holm-Oak very close I think subbimaculella is most likely.  Not entirely sure why I overlooked this as a possibility - probably because most of the photos online show much better patterned individuals than any of mine.

A Pine Groundling Exoteleia dodecella was new for the house and only the third time I've seen this species.

Pine Groundling Exoteleia dodecella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, Light Arches and Rufous Minor were new for the year.

New Tawny Tubic Batia lunaris, North Elmham, 22nd June

Light Arches, North Elmham, 22nd June

Rufous Minor (male, gen det), North Elmham, 22nd June

An Eastern Case-bearer Coleophora vestianella was my third this year (second at home) but I'd only ever seen one before.  Other moths recorded were Bordered Carl Coptotriche marginea, Cypress Tip Moth Argyresthia cupressella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, 2 Meadow Case-bearers Coleophora mayrella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, 2 Gorse Crests Brachmia blandella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Hawthorn Cosmet Blastodacna hellerella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 4 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 2 Yellow Oak Buttons Aleimma loeflingiana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 10 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus, 12 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, False Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella, Ermine Knot-horn Phycitodes binaevella, 4 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, 3 Common Emeralds, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Treble Brown Spots, 25 Riband Waves, Silver-ground Carpet, 7 Barred Straws, Barred Yellow, Common Pug, V-Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Lilac Beauty, Swallow-tailed Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, Mottled Beauty, 2 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 3 Light Emeralds, Coxcomb Prominent, Buff-tip, 7 Rosy Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Short-cloaked Moth, 2 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Clay, 2 Smoky Wainscots, 8 Brown Rustics, Small Angle Shades, Dark Arches, 21 Uncertains, 2 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, 3 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts and 4 Fan-foots.   There was also a Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis inside the house.

Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, North Elmham, 22nd June

Bugs included another Macrotylus solitarius - the third for Norfolk after the one I caught the previous night.  Also a Stenotus binotatus with an unidentified mite on its right eye.  Caddisflies included Leptocerus tineiformis.

Macrotylus solitarius, North Elmham, 22nd June

Stenotus binotatus with mite, North Elmham, 22nd June

Scarce Silver-lines and Maple Prominent

Over 200 moths again on 7th July consisting of 86 species.  Ok, but some good quality stuff among them.  Among the best were two striking macros that I've only rarely seen before - Scarce Silver-lines which I'd only ever seen once before, 5 years ago, and Maple Prominent.

Scarce Silver-lines, North Elmham, 7th July

Maple Prominent, North Elmham, 7th July

I do like a nice green moth, and another new addition to the garden year list was this Large Emerald.

Large Emerald, North Elmham, 7th July

Several micros were new for the year too: Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, Golden-brown Tubic Crassa unitella, Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis and Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis.

Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, North Elmham, 7th July

Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, North Elmham, 7th July

Other micros recorded were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 6 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 7 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 2 Hoary Bells Eucosma cana, 11 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 5 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and 3 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella.

Obscure Groundling Bryotropha similis, North Elmham, 7th July

My second Purple Clay of the year was notable and Early Thorn and Engrailed were my first of this generation.

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 7th July

Other macros were Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 6 Riband Waves, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 5 Barred Straws, Green Pug, 2 Clouded Borders, 6 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, 5 Willow Beauties, 2 Mottled Beauties, 3 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 6 Clouded Silvers, Eyed Hawkmoth, 2 Marbled Browns, 2 Rosy Footmen, Four-dotted Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Flames, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Dot Moths, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Poplar Grey, Brown Rustic, Small Angle Shades, Dark Arches, Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor, Common Rustic, 11 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 3 Spectacles, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 7 Straw Dots, Snout and 7 Fan-foots.

 Lilac Beauty, North Elmham, 7th July

Spectacle, North Elmham, 7th July

Common White Wave, North Elmham, 7th July

Small Angle Shades, North Elmham, 7th July

Common Rustic (male, gen det), North Elmham, 7th July

So far all of the caddisflies I've identified this year (the first year I've been doing them) have been common species, but one of them on 7th July appears to be a bit more unusual.  I'm pretty confident about the ID of Crunoecia irrorata (male, genitalia checked) but the NBN Gateway map doesn't show any records in VC28.  I've not done anything about submitting my caddis records yet... I intend to do so and when I get round to it I'll no doubt find out if this is as good as it seems.

Crunoecia irrorata (male), North Elmham, 7th July

Other caddis were Ecnomus tenellus, Limnephilus lunatus and Leptocerus tineiformis. Hoverflies were represented by Marmalade Fly Episyrphus balteatus, the sexton beetle Nicrophorus investigator was new for the year as was the mirid bug Stenotus binotatus.

Stenotus binotatus, North Elmham, 7th July

Nicrophorus investigator, North Elmham, 7th July

The following night was a bit quieter with just 57 species including 3 new for the year: Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, V-Pug and Cloaked Minor.

The rest were Grey Rush Case-bearer Coleophora glaucicolella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 4 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 False Cacao Moths Ephestia unicolorella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Buff Arches, 3 Common Emeralds, Small Fan-footed Wave, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 3 Single-dotted Waves, 9 Riband Waves, 4 Barred Straws, Sandy Carpet, 2 Brimstone Moths, Lilac Beauty, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawkmoth, Buff-tip, 4 Rosy Footmen, 8 Common Footmen, 4 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, 2 Heart and Darts, 2 Flames, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Poplar Greys, Brown Rustic, Tawny Marbled Minor, 3 Uncertains, Burnished Brass, 3 Beautiful Hook-tips, Straw Dot, 4 Snouts and 5 Fan-foots.

Poplar Grey, North Elmham, 8th July

Caddisflies included 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, Limnephilus flavicornis and 3 Leptocerus tineiformis. Also of interest another Fly Bug Reduvius personatus.

Fly Bug Reduvius personatus, North Elmham, 8th July

I set a trap that night in my neighbour's garden and went through it the following morning with their grandson again.  There wasn't quite so much in the way of big showy moths but he still seemed to be suitably fascinated.  Another Maple Prominent was probably the best both this time, followed by Miller.

Again I made no attempt to make complete counts of everything, so the following list is just what I could recall: Meadow Case-bearer Coleophora mayrella, 2 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, 2 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrixes Pandemis cerasana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana, 10 Cnephasia sp., 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Dwarf Cream Wave, 4 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 4 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, Sandy Carpet, Clouded Border, Swallow-tailed Moth, Common White Wave, Rosy Footman, Scarce Footman, 4 Common Footmen, 6 Buff Ermines, 2 Double Square-spots, Cabbage Moth, 2 Clays, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Light Arches, Marbled Minor agg., 15 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips and Straw Dot.