Het News

Issue 12Autumn 2008
2nd Series

Newsletter of the UK Heteroptera Recording Schemes
Circulation: An informal email newsletter circulated periodically to those interested in Heteroptera.
Copyright: Text & drawings © 2008 Authors Photographs © 2008 Photographers Citation: Het News, 2nd Series, no.12, Autumn 2008

Editorial:
We are pleased to announce that Richard Dickson has bravely volunteered to prepare a cumulative index for Het News, not only that but
he has already made a start!
This issue could be termed a special invasion edition! With articles following-up the recent arrival in Britain of Arocatus ‘somethingorother’closely followed by Leptoglossus occidentalis. A related thought that occurs to us, is that het people really ought to train moth trappers torecognise & record significant het species!
Incidentally, for best results when printing Het News use high quality paper!
Sheila Brooke: 18 Park Hill Toddington Dunstable Beds LU5 6AW — brooke.aquahet@btopenworld.com
Bernard Nau: 15 Park Hill Toddington Dunstable Beds LU5 6AW — nauhet@btinternet.com

Contents

Impact of rainfall on Heteroptera........................................... 1

AROUND THE BRITISH ISLES................................................... 16
Surrey, S & N Essex, Middx, E Suffolk, E & W Norfolk, Beds,
Shropshire, S Lincs, Notts, Derbs, SE NE & NW Yorks, Lake District.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:Advances in Heteroptera research......................................... 2
Tierwelt Deutschland - Pentatomorpha II.............................. 3
Faune de France - small groups............................................... 3

LITERATURE............................................................................... 20
WEBSITES................................................................................... 21
BRC ReCORDING SCHEMES...................................................... 22
Regional Recorders by vice county.

ARTICLES:
Arocatus sp? on Plane trees...................................................... 4
Leptoglossus occidentalis influx in England............................ 7
Natalicola pallidus at Heathrow Airport.................................. 9
Leptoglossus occidenalis in France......................................... 10
Identification of Velia spp....................................................... 13
Paintings of Phytocoris........................................................... 14

NOTICESBBC........................................................................................... 19
Contributions for next issue................................................... 12
Fife Record Centre................................................................... 22
Useful websites....................................................................... 21

Impact of rainfall on Heteroptera in 2007-2008
Bernard Nau

4. Later, a more subtle factor became apparent, therains and humidity promoted growth of tall grasses
and other vegetation. Consequently, especiallyby 2008, many areas of normally dry open sunny
ground became over-grown by grasses and coarse
herbaceous vegetation;. Also, open-structured herbrich grassland closed-up, suppressing plant species
such as Caryophyllaceae, Erodium, Myosotis, Viola, etal., favoured by these hets. These effects on habitat
structure both adversely affected the microclimate
and reduced the availability of food plants.
The net effect of the above was that these xerophile/thermophile bug species were very hard to find in southern
England in both autumns, and also in the spring of 2008. It
will be interesting to see what ensues in the next year or two.
Over the past decade or so, populations, and ranges of these
species had expanded remarkably. Will they bounce backas soon as the weather improves or will they take anotherdecade or so to recover?
I hope that anyone doing fieldwork in areas thus affected
will make a particular effort to record the status of thesebugs - making special note of absence or rarity.

In southern Britain in 2007 and 2008, from early summer
through the autumn, the weather was exceptionallyunfavorable for those of our southern het species that
require warm dry open habitat - such as various of thecoreids, pentatomids and lygaeids.
I do not have quantitative data but it seems to me thatseveral effects of the unusual rainfall patterns we had at thattime are likely to have had adverse effects on populations ofthese bugs.
. There were periods of exceptionally severe rainfall in2007 at a time when nymph populations would havebeen at a peak. The torrential rain itself could havecaused direct damage or death to these vulnerable
immature stages.
2. The wet seasons in 2007 & 2008 were accompaniedby lack of sunshine and generally rather low
temperatures.
3. In a number of areas landscape-scale flooding occurred,and no doubt even more on a micro-scale. Thus,
normally dry bare ground was flooded or saturated
and this too could have caused damage or death tovulnerable immature stages.
Het News 12, Autumn 2008



RECENT PUBLICATIONSBook review: Advances in Heteroptera research.
Festschrift in honour of 80th Anniversary of Michail Josifov.
Ed. S. Grozeva & N. Simov

Book published by Pensoft Publishers, Sofia*, 2008. Hard cover, 417pp., ISBN 978-954-642-311-5.
[* e-mail: info@pensoft.net , web: www.pensoft.net]

book, Stichel’s “Illustrierte Bestimmungstabellen
der Deutschen Wanzen”. We feel for him when
he sees the smouldering ruins of the post
office! However, a postman emerges, takes thedelivery note and goes back into the ruins toemerge later with the precious parcel intact!
Ten years later, 1954 was another turning
point. It was the year he survived being trappedin an avalanche in the Rila mountains, on thevery day that he was officially appointed to thestaff of the Institute of Zoology in Sofia. As it
happens, it was also the year of publication of
his first work devoted to the Heteroptera.
The book has one more preliminary chapter.
This lists MJ’s 126 published works and the 150+
new taxa of Heteroptera which he has described during hislong career. A useful statistical summary is given in a table,
breaking down the taxa by family - most notably indicatingthat 97 taxa of Miridae came from his pen.
The book is rounded off with a 1-page appendix listing the
21 new Heteroptera taxa described in the papers containedin this volume - many of which are named after him. A finebirthday tribute.
BSN

This nicely produced, 417 page book is acollection of 30 papers devoted to Heteroptera(see text box , below). These papers were
specially brought together for the 80thbirthday of the noted Bulgarian taxonomist
Michail Josifov. The authors and geographicalscope of these papers are global, the papers
are in English, and the Contents are in both
English and Russian.
The volume begins with a personal
appreciation, by P. Beron, of Michail Josifov
as teacher, friend and scientist. This acountis nicely supplemented by a dozen or so
photographs of MJ, and colleagues, in thefield and at work in the Institute of Zoology in
Sofia. The geographical spread of these is impressively wide
- ranging across Austria, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique,
Norway, North Korea, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.
Two nice anecdotes are related herein, about potential
turning points in his career.
One morning in the winter of 1943/44, as World War II
reached its climax, he was a teenaged would-be entomologist
and was to be seen making his way among the bombed
ruins of Sofia. He was, on his way to the post office to collecta parcel which would contain his very first Heteroptera

Contents of Advances in Heteroptera research.

BERON, P. , Michail Josifov - 80th anniversary.
SIMOV, N , Michail Josifov - bibliography, described and dedicated taxa.
AUKEMA, B. - Psallus (Apocremnus) montanus Joslfov, 1973 in The Netherlands (Heteroptera, Miridae).
CHEN, P.-p. & NIESER, N., The Corixidae (s. str.) of Thailand, with description of a new species of Sigara (Heteroptera, Nepomorpha).
DAMGAARD, J. - MtDNA diversity and phylogeography of five Palaearctic water striders (Hemiptera‑Heteroptera: Gerridae).
DUWAL, R.K. & YASUNAGA, T. , A new species of the pilophorine plant bug genus Pilophorus HAHN from Nepal (Heteroptera, Miridae, Phylinae).
FORERO,D., GIL-SANTANA,H.R., & VAN DOESBURG, P.H. Redescription of the Neotropical genus Aristathius (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae).
GAPON, D.A., A revision of Leprosoma BAERFNSPRUNG, 1859 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae).
GOGALA, A. , Survival of the endemic Hemiptera species in Slovenia during the Holocene.
GOLUB, V.B. , A new species of lacebug fromTajikistan, Catoplatusjosfovi nov. sp. (Heteroptera, Tingidae).
GORCZYCA, J. , A new species of Euchilofidvius Poppius, 1909 from Malaysia (Heteroptera: Miridae: Cylapinae).
GOULA, M., COSTAS, M., et al .,On some threatened Heteroptera from the Iberian fauna,
GIZI J. & SCHWERTNER C.F.-, Review of Parachinavia ROCHE (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae, Pentatominae).
GROZEVA, S. & N. Simov, N. , Cytotaxonomy of two Cremnocephalus species (Heteroptera, Miridae).
GÜNTHER, H., A new tingid species from southern Spain: Dictyonota michaili nov. sp. (Heteroptera: Tingidae).
KERZHNER, I.M., A new species of Pilophorus from the Far East (Heteroptera, Miridae).
KMENT,P. & JINDRA, Z. , Review of the family Gelastocoridae (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) of south‑eastern Asia,
KONSTANTINOV, F.V. , Review of Omocoris LINDBERG, 1930 and a description of a new genus to accommodate Eurycolpus dimorphus Wagner 1961.
LINNAVUORI, R.E. & HEiSS, E. , A new subspecies of Lygaeidae from northern Iran: Raglius alboacuminatusjos?fovi nov. ssp. (Heteroptera, Lygaeidae).
MOULET, P., Alary polymorphism and new localities in Palaearctic Oncocephalus Klug, 1830 (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Stenopodainae).
NIESER, N., CHEN, P.‑P. & LEKSAWASDI, P. The Notonectidae (Heteroptera, Nepomorpha) of Thailand and adjacent areas, with keys for identification andfive new records for Thailand.
POLHEMUS, J.T. & POLHEMUS, D.A. A new genus of Microveliinae from the Austral Islands, French Polynesia (Heteroptera, Veliidae).
PROTIC, Lj., Contribution to the knowledge of the Isometopinae (Heteroptera, Miridae) of the Balkan Peninsula.
RABITSCH, W., The times they are a‑changin’: driving forces of recent additions to the Heteroptera fauna of Austria.
REDEI, D. , First record of Pinochius Carayon, 1949 from the Oriental Region, with description of a new species from Vietnam (Het. Schizopteridae).
SCHWARTZ, M.D., SCHAEFER, C.W. & LATTIN, J.D. , The first Chorosoma (Hemi.: Rhopalidae: Rhopalinae: Chorosomatini) from the New World: Chorosoma
josifovi nov. sp.
SIMOV. N. , A new Loricula species from Bulgaria (Heteroptera, Microphysidae).
STYS, P. & BANAR, P., Xenicocephalus ‑ an enigmatic genus of American Enicocephalidae (Heteroptera): a new male‑based species from Surinam.
SWEET. M.H. , The Recognition of “Botocudo” ornatulus (Bergroth, 1895) (Hemiptera, Prosorrhyncha, Rhyparochromidae, Antillocorini) of Australia, thedesignation of the lectotype, and a redescription of the type specimen, with a discussion of the Nomenclature of Botocudo Kirkaldy.
VINOKUROV, N.N. , Calacanthia josfovi nov. sp., a new species of shore bugs (Heteroptera, Saldidae) from Xizang, China.
WEIRAUCH, C. , Mangabea barbiger, new species of Collartidini (Heteroptera, Reduvildae, Emesinae) from Madagascar .
YASUNAGA,T. & DUWAL. R.K. , New species of the mirine plant bug genus Castanopsides Yasunaga and its assumed sister genus Mahania Poppius from
Nepal, with a new synonymy of the genus Liocapsus Poppius (Heteroptera, Miridae, Mirinae).
APPENDIX: List of new taxa described in this volume .

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Book review: Die Tierwelt Deutschland 81. Wanzen Band 4.
Pentatomomorpha II . E. Wachmann, A. Melber, J. Deckert

Published by Goecke & Evers*, 230pp., 239 colour photos, Keltern, 2008. (In German)
Hard cover. ISBN 978-3-937783-36-9. 245x175, Price £47.00.
[* e-mail: books@insecta.de , web: www.goeckeevers.de]on season and overwintering. There are no
identification keys or species descriptions.
The colour photos are taken from life ina natural-looking setting. They show theadult, and often one or more nymphal forms
as well - a totalof 13 images for Table 1 Families covered.
Palomena prasina!. 		
spp
An appendix gives 		
illustrated
dates and localities
Cydnidae	11
for all the bugs
Thyreocoridae
2
photographed, andPlataspidae 	1
there is a species
index which covers
Acanthosomatidae 7
all four of theScutelleridae	10
published volumes.
Pentatomidae
52
For the reader
in the British Isles, this volume isparticularly useful for the excellent
images not only of those species which are established in
the British Isles, but also those which are only vagrants here,
or are recent or potential future colonists.
One error caught the reviewer’s eye. This concerns the
distribution of Canthophorus dubius/C. impressus. Various
recent publications have demonstrated that the species
established in Britain and adjacent regions is Canthophorus
impressus not C. dubius,.
BSN

Volume 4 is the last of four main volumes
presenting species accounts and colour
photographs of Heteroptera occurring inGermany and Austria. The previous volume
published was Volume 3 and was reviewed
in Het News, 11, Spring 2008. The language isGerman.
Many but not all of these species areillustrated. The high standard of photography
and printing of earlier volumes is wellmaintained, or even bettered.
Volumes 1-4 deal with successive families ofthe Heteroptera, essentially in the sequence
used in the Palaearctic Catalogue - thenomenclature too, follows the Palaearctic
Catalogue. The final volume is now in
preparation and it is promised that this will provide suchinformation as details of structure, biology and taxonomic
relationships.
The present volume covers the six families of shieldbugs
listed in Table 1 - which also shows the number of species
illustrated for each family. The present work follows theformat established in earlier volumes, each species having
a text account which typically comprises three paragraphs.
The first gives the length, a summary of the Palaearctic
distribution, and status in Germany & Austria; the next gives
details of habitat & food; and the last gives information

Book review: Hémiptères Aradidae, Piesmatidae, et Dipsocoromorphes Euro-Méditerranéens.
Faune de France 91, Ernst Heiss & Jean Péricart
Published by Fédération Française des Sociétés de Sciences Naturelles*, Paris, 2007

ISBN 978-2-9030-5229-4, 240x160mm, 509, 8 colour plates, 28 electron micrographs,34 maps, 174 figs, soft cover, €78[* web: www.faunedefrance.org]

Two general points can be made here. Firstly
that the series has evolved from geographicalcoverage of France alone, to coverage of theentire Euro-Mediteerranean zoogeographicalregion. Secondly that in the most recent
volumes the keys are bi-lingual, with coupletsin both French and English - a big help for
native English language readers.
Apart from the shared preamble,
indexes & colour plates, this volume iseffectively three books in one - Aradidae(ca 300 pp), Piesmatidae (ca 105pp), andDipsocoromorpha (ca 70pp). Each has its own
extensive bibliography and, both valuable
and extensive, treatment of the morphologyof adults and early stages; ecology & biology;
taxonomic issues; collection & conservation.
It seems unlikely that heteropterists in the British Isles
will ever be favoured with 16 large volumes devoted to our
Heteroptera!

This 12th (excellent as usual) Heteroptera
volume in the Faune de France series deals
with three unrelated groups ‘left over’ fromthe other volumes. It deals with two families
and an infra-order,: Aradidae (‘barkbugs’of which we have 7 spp in the British Islessplit into two families in S&L), Piesmatidae(‘beetbugs’, of which we have 2½ spp), andDipsocoromorpha (‘thirstybugs’*, of which
we have 3 spp).
There is one other group of Heteroptera
not covered in the FdF series and that is the
Anthocoridae, Cimicidae & Microphysidae
These are covered by Péricart’s 1972 work,
published in a different series - Faune del’Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen, by Masson
et cie.
For completeness, one might add that there are still several
scheduled volumes pending: one for Reduviidae and three
for outstanding families of shieldbugs.
Notwithstanding the insignificant size of some of thespecies treated in the present work, this is no lightweight
book, it has 500+ pages, including 200+ figures, maps andelectron micrograph images.
Het News 12, Autumn 2008[* ‘dipso’ : Greek for thirsty, as in dipsomaniac!]

BSN

ARTICLESOn Plane trees, not only Arocatus longiceps (Lygaeidae) but also Arocatus roeselii?
Hans-Jürgen Hoffmann
Three species of Arocatus are known in Europe: A.
melanocephalus, A. roeselii and A. longiceps.
A. melanocephalus (Fabricius, 1798) lives on elms (Ulmussp.) and is conspicuously marked with red and black. It
cannot be confused with the other species.
Arocatus roeselii (Schilling, 1829) normally lives on alders(Alnus glutinosa) which usually grow on river banks, besidelakes, and in wetlands, but not normally in inner cities.
A. roeselii has lived in Germany for many years now, but israre there - e.g. a single recent specimen in North RhineWestphalia (Kott 2004) and few in museum collections. This
species is bright red with sharp black markings. In southern
Germany it is a little more widespread.
A. longiceps Stål, 1872 originally had an eastern
Mediterranean distribution, where the host was plane(Platanus orientalis). It has been expanding since 1995,
reaching Germany (Rieger 1997) via Austria (Adlbaur & Friess
1996) and Switzerland. Plane has frequently been planted in
inner cities since the beginning of the 18th Century, being
very resistant to pollution and pests, especially Platanus
hybridus (hybrids of P. occidentalis & P. orientalis). The historyof its arrival in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, hasbeen decribed by several authors (Rabitsch & Fries 1996,
Hoffmann 1998, Rietschel 1998, Hoffmann 2008 etc.) andwill not be repeated here (for details see Hoffmann 2008).
Figure 2 shows the present distribution. This species istypically yellowish with blackish markings.
Stichel (1957) presented the first key for determination ofthese three species of Arocatus (with illustrations) and thiskey is similar to that of Péricart (1998):

in these balls. The first adults leave the seeds in mid-June. It
is assumed that there is a second generation, since larvae
are found until hibernation in November. Under the loose
bark there are often large aggregations of hibernating bugs
and when disturbed these very rapidly disperse, even at low
temperatures.
In the inner city of Cologne, during winters 2005-2006
and 2006-2007 C. ciliata overwintered in dozens under any
suitable loose bark flake on plane trees, but during winter2007-2008 they were almost totally absent! Only isolatedbugs could be found. On the other hand A. longiceps has
been observed regularly since 2004, but only in very small
numbers until winter 2007-2008, when it was present inhuge quantities. Under bark on one tree I collected nearly
780 A. longiceps from 750 cm² of bark (21st January 2008). Of
course the bugs are not evenly distributed but concentrateunder suitable pieces of bark flakes (Fig.  1), these should
be of sufficient size and neither too tight nor too loose(Hoffmann 2008). I checked the correlation between bug
numbers and size of bark flake fragments by sweeping bugs
from individual pieces into plastic bags, measuring the barkarea and counting the bugs, in fact there was no correlation
but the average concentration was more than 1 bug/cm² .

Head length > eye separation, almost as long as wide; exocorium yellowbrown or reddish. Rostrum reaches at least base of 1st visible sternite.
L= 5.5-6.6 mm. Pontomediterranean...............................Arocatus longiceps
Head not longer than eye separation; exocorium basally red; middle &posterior usually black. Rostrum just reaches the hind coxae. L = 6,.07.2 mm. European.....................................................................................A. roeselii

Fig. 1 - Bark flakes of Platanus.

Both authors mention, for both species, colour varieties orsubspecies such as form sanguinea with blood-red abdomenfor A. longiceps.

Fig.2 - Present European distribution of A. longiceps

Arocatus in Germany
By 2004 A. longiceps had reached as far NW as Cologne andDüsseldorf, in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its spread coincided
more or less with that of the ‘plane lacebug’ Corythucha
ciliata. This was an immigrant from the United States toPadova in northern Italy, and has now spread nearly all over
Europe (Hoffmann 2003b). Both species hibernate in theadult stage, typically under peeling bark flakes of the hosttree. The success of both species in our cities seems to be
based on the fact that both can develop totally on the trees,
without contact with the ground.
In spring (end of March), overwintering A. longiceps leaves
its hibernation site and climbs up into the inaccessible tree
canopy with its opening buds. Mating pairs are not seen on
trunks or on the ground. Eggs are deposited in the seed ballsof the previous year. Larval instars 1-5 develop synchronously

Flake size cm2

No. of Arocatus

Density cm-²

18
24
29
29
32
33
34
37
37
38
38
44
51
55
55
57

17
26
19
53
25
27
30
10
56
59
16
99
59
84
75
40

9
11
7
18
8
8
9
3
15
15
4
23
12
15
14
7

57

22

4

73

62

9

Total 779

Mean 11cm

Table 1 - Flake size preference of A. longiceps.


Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Fig.4 - Colour variation of A.
longiceps, Cologne
Bugs from a sample of seven plane
trees, at two sites in the inner city of
Cologne (14th January 2008), were
sorted by coloration: “red”, “orange” &“yellowish” (Fig. 3). Nearly 1.800 bugs
were collected in half an hour, working
at head-height. Smel animals felloutside the bag or otherwise escaped;
even in cold weather they are extremely
active and readily fly. Because of thelarge number of specimens they were
not sorted by length of rostrum orhead width, but all variations of these
diagnostic characters of A. longiceps
and A. roeselii, were found, as well as
various colour forms (Fig.4): 10% werered (like A. roeselii), 76% yellowish (likeA. longiceps) and 14% intermediate.

Fig.3 - Colour variation of A. longiceps, Cologne

Site

Red

Yellowish
red

YellowKardinalHöffner-Platz
Neumarkt

71

161

685

102

91

656

Proportions

10%

14%

7%

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Arocatus elsewhere
In Austria, Rabitsch (1998) observed that among thenumerous A. longiceps on Platanus some Arocatus could bedetermined as A. roeselii, and others as hybrids. This was also
the conclusion for bugs from Basel & SW Germany (Rietschel(1998) & Hoffmann (2003)) . Earlier, in 1972-1986, Carayon(1989) described large aggregations of A. roeselii on Platanus
in Paris and in the south of France in 1966-69.
In Frankfurt in 1998 I collected Arocatus under bark flakesof Platanus, in front of the famous Museum Senckenberg(Hoffmann 1998). These keyed out to A. roeselii but withstrong reservations - there were no alders (Alnus) in sight!
Of course it is always possible that some individuals living on
Alnus hibernate under the bark of Platanus, where accessible.
In 1986, in Paris and in the south of France at Perpignan, I
collected several Arocatus under the bark flakes of Platanus,
they resembled A. longiceps, with which I was not familiar at
the time.
In England, in central London, there were mass occurrencesof a species of Arocatus on and around plane trees in 20062007 (Nau & Straw 2007, Barclay 2007). Doubts similar to
those of heteropterists in continental Europe arose here too.
Barclay referred to these as A. “roeselii” and discussed various
possibilities, such as new species or a hybrid of A. roeselii and
A. longiceps. He noted that there were significant differencesfrom specimens labelled A. roeselii in the British Museum andmuseum material in Prague, but they resembled a specimen
from Nice in France. He drew attention to the example ofa staphylinid beetle now established in Western Europe,
which proved to be a new adventive species but was initiallyconfused with a European species thought to have changed
its range.
I think that now, after 10 years of Arocatus in Germany, thestatus of the Arocatus on plane trees needs to be be clarified
once for all!


Probabilities
The likelihood of a long-time resident, usually rare
species, A. roeselii, switching host from alder to plane trees,is vanishingly small, especially as these trees are not closely
related. It is even more unlikely that this would happen
just as a newcomer, A. longiceps, appears. Also vanishingly
small is the probability of an A. roeselii flying from alders aconsiderable distance to hibernate on plane trees in an innercity area, alongside a newcomer sister species. Also, theprobability that populations of the rare A. roeselii suddenly
undergo mass expansion just when the sister species
appears, is vanishingly small. Why did this not happen
in places the newcomer had not reached? Even a hybrid
between the two species is very unlikely because they are,at least initially, living on unrelated plant species growing indifferent habitats. Because all these probabilities have to be
multiplied together, not added, the theoretical probability of(permanent) presence of A. roeselii on plane trees seems tobe virtually zero!

Alnus spp. But in light of our findings, the morphologicalcriteria for determination of the two species should be
revised and Arocatus from Paris should be reconsidered inline with the new criteria, and London Arocatus too.
Accidental transportation of bugs to London - from Paris,
Cologne, or elsewhere - by train, plane or truck, or on trees
moved in the horticultural trade, is a trivial matter! In western
Germany at least we know the origin, the chronological, andregional order of arrival of the bugs.
References:

Adlbaur, K. & Friess, T., 1996, Die Ritterwanze Arocatuslongiceps Stål, 1873 – eine für Mitteleuropa neue Tierart(Heteroptera, Lygaeidae). Jber. Landesmuseum Joanneum
Graz N.F. 25: 33-39.
Barclay, M., 2007, Some observations and thoughts on the
Platanus feeding Arocatus “roeselii” (Lygaeidae) establishedin London. Het News, 10, 8-9.
Carayon, J., 1989, Arocatus roeseli hôte des platanes àParis (Hém. Lygaeidae). L’Entomologiste, 45, 311-313.
Hoffmann, H. J., 1998, Zu einem Massenvorkommen
von Arocatus roeseli in der Großstadt Frankfurt am Main.
Heteropteron, 4, 13-16.
Hoffmann, H. J., 2003a, Ein Massenvorkommen vonArocatus in der Schweiz. Heteropteron, 17, 27-28.
Hoffmann, H. J., 2003b: Die Platanengitterwanze
Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1872) erreicht den Niederrhein(Heteroptera). Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte,
47, 67-70.
Hoffmann, H. J., 2004, Arocatus longiceps Stål, 1872,
erreicht den Niederrhein (Hemiptera-Heteroptera).
Heteropteron, 19: 21-22, Köln.
Hoffmann, H. J., 2008, Auf Platanen: Nur Arocatuslongiceps oder doch auch A. roeselii? Heteropteron, 26, 2429.
Kott, P., 2004, Drei Wanzen-Neufunde für NRW. –Heteropteron, 19, 12.
Knight, H.H., 1924, On the nature of the color patterns
in Heteroptera with data on the effects produced bytemperature and humidity. Ann. Entomol. Soc. America,
17, 258-270.
Nau, B.S. & Straw, N., 2007,: Arocatus roeselii establishedin Britain? Het News, 9, 8.
Palmer, L.S. & Knight, H.H.,1924a, Carotin - theprincipal cause of the red and yellow colors in Perillus
bioculatus (Fab.), and its biological origin from the lymph of
Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Jnl. Biol. Chemistry, 59,
442-449.
Palmer, L.S. & Knight, H.H.,1924b, Anthocyanin andflavone-like pigments as cause of red colorations in thehemipterous families Aphididae, Coreidae, Lygaeidae,
Miridae, and Reduviidae. Jnl. Biol. Chemistry, 59, 451-455.
Péricart, J., 1998, Hémiptères Lygaeidae EuroMediterranéens. 1. Faune de France, 84A, Paris.
Rabitsch, W.,1998, Zur Verbreitung von Arocatus longiceps
Stål, 1873 (Heteroptera, Lygaeidae im nördlichen Österreich
mit Anmerkungen zur Merkmalsvariabilität. Linzer biol.
Beitr., 30, 305-310.
Rieger, Chr., 1992, Ergänzungen zur Faunistik und
Systematik einiger Wanzen in Baden-Württemberg (Insecta,
Heteroptera) II. Carolinea, 55, 43-48.
Rietschel, S., 1998, Arocatus longiceps Stål, 1873
(Lygaeidae) ein Platanen-Neubürger in Mitteleuropa. Heteropteron, 4, 11-12.
Smyth, C., 2008, Scientists bugged by mystery of invader
in their backyard. The Times, 15thJuly 2008, p.15, London.
Stichel, W. , 1957, Illustrierte Bestimmungstabellen derWanzen. II. Europa, 4, 65-96, Berlin-Hermsdorf.

Laboratory evidence
Logic is one thing, scientific experiment is another. If
the bugs could be reared under controlled conditions andhybridisation investigated, this might answer our questions.
However, in spite of the great numbers of bugs available atthe beginning of the 2008 season, I could not get mating or
eggs in the laboratory.
Molecular genetic studies should be able to resolve theproblem, therefore in recent months we have used molecularanalysis to compare red bugs, off Platanus in Cologne, withyellowish bugs. Initial results show no difference between
these forms, the full results will be published in due course.
Finally we may speculate on colour variation in Arocatus,
especially A. longiceps. Some insight may be gained fromlaboratory studies of Perillus bioculatus, a pentatomidthat feeds on larvae of the potato beetle Leptinotarsa
decemlineata. Knight (1924) reared this bug under different
controlled temperatures. He found that different colour
forms resulted: black & white, red & black, black & red. Also,
he found that at higher temperatures red carotinoids of theprey were oxidised to form yellow or white pigments, andreduced storage of melanin in the bug. No humidity effect
was found. In Arocatus yellowish colours are probably formedby flavones (see Palmer & Knight, 1924a, b) but there may bean analogous temperature effect, in A. longiceps for example.
Therefore it could be that during development at lower
temperatures in the north of its range (e.g. Paris, Frankfurt
or London), or due to the micro-climate on individual trees,
resulting adults might be more or less red and black or
yellowish-brown (subsequent acclimatisation not excluded).
Rieger told me last year that he no longer finds red specimens
among the yellowish ones; I have the impression that the redbugs have diminished in Cologne too.
Conclusions
I am convinced that all west european Arocatus on Platanus
are A. longiceps, including those from Frankfurt and thosereferred to by Carayon (1989), and that they are the result ofa westward invasion by the eastern Mediterranean species.
Initially nobody expected A. longiceps, so red and black bugs
resembling A. roeselii were determined as A. roeselii, andsubsequent authors treated them as a Platanus form of the

Address:Dr. H.J. Hoffmann, c/o Zoologisches Institut der Universität
zu Köln, Weyertal 119, D-50931 Köln, Germany
email hj.hoffmann@uni-koeln.de

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Influx of Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Coreidae) in England
Chris Malumphy, Joseph Botting, Tristan Bantock & Sharon Reid
INTRODUCTION
Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Coreidae) is a
Nearctic pest of conifer seed nurseries with a first European
record in Italy in 1999. It is a relatively large and conspicuous
insect and its recent rapid geographical range expansion
in southern & central Europe has been well documented.
L. occidentalis was first detected in Britain by Bob Ford at
Weymouth College, Dorset in January 2007 (Malumphy& Reid, 2007). No further specimens were found until latesummer 2008 when numerous adults were observed at lighttraps along the south coast of England, clearly indicating alarge migration across the English Channel. Subsequently it
has been found at several inland locations in England, and as
far north as Cumbria.
This communication reports the invasion of L. occidentalis
in the UK during 2008 and review its host range, biology,
geographical distribution and economic importance.

HOST PLANTS & BIOLOGY
L. occidentalis feeds on the flowers, developing cones
and seeds of approximately 40 species of conifer trees,with a preference for Pinaceae, including white pine (Pinus
strobus), red pine (Pinus resinosa), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris),
ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Austrian pine (Pinus nigra),
mountain or mugo pine (Pinus mugo), lodgepole pine (Pinus
contorta) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). It has also
been observed on Abies, Cedrus, Picea & Juniperus and nonconiferous plants including citrus (Citrus sp.) and pistachio(Pistacia vera) (Kment & Baňař, 2008; Koerber, 1963; Krugman& Koerber, 1969; Villa et al., 2001).
In the USA and Canada it is univoltine but in Mexico it isreported to be multivoltine. The females lay small barrelshaped eggs on foliage in mid to late spring that hatch after
approximately 10 days. The nymphs feed on the tender conescales and occasionally the needles. There are five nymphal
stages before the adults appear in late August. The adults
feed on the ripening seeds until early autumn when theyhibernate. Adults usually aggregate under peeled bark andin bird and rodent nests to over-winter.

DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION
In countries where it is established, adults and nymphs
L. occidentalis are found feeding on conifers. The adults areactive in late summer & autumn, and are attracted to lights.
They frequently enter buildings in search of overwinteringsites during late autumn, occasionally in large numbers.
Adult L. occidentalis are relatively large and conspicuous,
attaining a length of 20 mm and width of 7 mm. The species
is easily distinguished from all other coreids found in Britain
by its reddish-brown body, transverse white zigzag line
across the centre of its wings (although this is sometimes
faint or even absent), and characteristic expansions on thehind tibiae. McPherson et al. (1990) provide a key to theidentification of the 11 Nearctic species of Leptoglossus.
L. occidentalis is similar in appearance to the leaf-footed
pine seed bug (Leptoglossus corculus Say), from which it
may be distinguished by the somewhat shorter outer tibial
dilation. The more distinct dorsal abdominal colourationin L. occidentalis is also used as a distinguishing character.
There are more than 40 species in the genus, with all but
one restricted to the Western Hemisphere. Ten species are
considered to be economically damaging agricultural andforestry pests and are discussed in detail by Schaefer &Panizzi (2000).

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
L. occidentalis is a relatively serious pest of conifer seednurseires, particularly Douglas fir, in southern Canada andthe USA. It can seriously reduce the yield and quality of the
conifer seed crop, damaging up to 80% of conifer seeds byfeeding on the endosperm and inducing a high incidence ofconelet abortion (Bates, 2000; Connely & Schowalter, 1991;
Strong et al., 2001). It can form aggregations of thousandsof adults and in parts of North America they become ahousehold nuisance when entering buildings to overwinter(Blatt, 1994; Gall, 1992; Wheeler, 1992). They have also been
known to damage polythene pipes in plumbing and heating
systems in the USA - piercing pipes with their rostrum.
RECORDS OF L. occidentalis IN BRITAIN
Table 1 details the 35 confirmed British records known tous, all of which refer to adults. These are mapped in Figure 1.
The majority of records are from the south coast of England,with scattered occurrences inland, as far north as Kendal,
Cumbria. The records cover 15 vice-counties. All but oneof the records were of single individuals, but it appears that
there was a significant arrival on a broad front over the south
coast of England during the second week of October 2008.
L. occidentalis was frequently taken in moth traps,
indicating that the species may come strongly to light. A
large number were associated with houses, including several
which had entered buildings and were probably in search ofhibernation sites. A single specimen was found in a timber
shipment from the USA.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
The native range of L. occidentalis is thought to be westof the Rocky Mountains in North America, and from Mexico
to Canada (Rabitsch, 2008). Its eastward spread during thesecond half of the last century, reaching the east coast in the
1990s, has been well documented.
It was accidentally introduced into Europe, being firstrecorded near Vicenza in northern Italy in 1999. It spread
rapidly and has since been recorded from Switzerland (2002),
Slovenia (2003), Croatia (2004), Spain (2004), Austria (2005),
Germany (2006), Hungary (2006), France (2006), Belgium(2007), Czech Republic (2007), Slovak Republic (2007), United
Kingdom (2007), Montenegro (2008), Poland (2008) andSerbia (2008). The remarkably rapid spread of L. occidentalis
across Europe has been discussed by several authors
including Dusoulier et al. (2007), Kment & Baňař (2008), Liset al. (2008) and Rabitsch (2008). Dusoulier et al. (2007) also
provided excellent maps showing the geographical spreadof the insect.
Het News 12, Autumn 2008

DISCUSSION
Although L. occidentalis is known to be a strong flier,much of the eastward range expansion in North America
has been attributed to human-assisted dispersal following
commercial pine plantings and landscaping, and via
transcontinental shipping (Gall, 1992; Schaefer & Panizzi,
2000). All developmental stages may be translocated with its
host plants.
The pattern of recent records from the south coast of
England, however, is unlikely to reflect repeated introductions,Table 1 - All British Isles records of Leptoglossus occidentalis, in date and vice-county sequence.
2007
January
5th - Weymouth College, vc 9, Dorset, SY681804;
5th; Bob Ford

Dungeness, vc 16, W Kent, TR0723;
Greatstone, MV light; Barry Banson
Southport, vc 59, S Lancs;
in house; Joan Stringfellow

2008
30th August
Hastings, vc14, E Sussex;
MV light; Andy Philips
Dungeness, vc 16, W Kent, TR0817;
2 at MV light; Andy Phillips
Dungeness, vc 16, W Kent, TR0619;
Boulderwall, MV light; David Walker

14th October
Lancing, vc 13, W Sussex, TQ1804;on house window; Gary Lane
Dungeness, vc 16, W Kent, TR0817;
Southview Cottage
Redditch, vc 37, Worcestershire;in house; Malcolm Barlow
Kendal, vc 69, Westmorland; SD5192;
in house; Rob Petley-Jones

12th September
Guernsey, vc113, Channel Is., WV319756;
St Martin’s, in house

16th OctoberPortland vc 9, Dorset, SY678687;
Bird Observatory, MV lightSouthwark, vc17, Surrey, TQ328790;
Bartholemew St., Lily Denis

4th October
Holborn, vc21, Middlesex, TQ313819;
terrace on 8th floor; Mrs. O. Beasley
Liverpool, vc 59, S Lancs, SJ3297;
Seaforth, in imported white oak timber from USA;
Forestry Commission Plant Health Service.

17th October
Langton Matravers, Dorset, SZ0078;
in flight in garden, Chris Spilling

6th OctoberPortsmouth, vc 11, S Hants;
MV light; Ian Thirlwell

18th October
Newhaven, East Sussex, TQ4401;
18th; MV light; Steven Teale
Portland, vc 9, Dorset, SY678687; 18th; Bird Observatory,observation garden

10th October
Guernsey, vc113, Ch. Is., WV336794;
St John’s, MV light

19th OctoberPortland, vc 9, Dorset, SY678687;
Bird Observatory, observation garden
Folkestone, vc 15, E Kent, TR198371;
on car; Yvonne Mwaiwa
Caterham, vc 17, Surrey, TQ332561;
in house; Mr. V. Massimo

11th OctoberPortland, vc 9, Dorset, SY685726;
Cheyne Wear, MV light; Clarke, Hammond & Tailby
12th October
Bonchurch, vc 10, Isle of Wight, SZ5777;
MV light; James Halsey
Fareham, vc 11, S Hants, SU5706;
Keith Wheeler
Rye, vc 13, W Sussex, TQ9220;
Lime Kiln Cottage, house wall; Chris Bentley
Newhaven, vc 14, E Sussex, TQ4401;
MV light; Steven Teale
Quorn, vc 55, Leics, SK558162;
MV light P. Gamble[23rd October]Charlesworth, vc 57, Derbyshire, SK007931;
in greenhouse
25th October
Brighton, vc 14, E Sussex;
in house, Neil Topley
Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, SZ5777;
in house; James Halsey

13th OctoberPortland, vc 9, Dorset, SY678687;
Bird Observatory, observation patio
Rye, vc14, E Sussex, TQ9220;
MV light: Patrick Bonham

7th November
Arundel, vc 13, W Sussex, TQ008065;
on window; Alexander Henderson

Figure1 - Records of L. occidentalis in Britain during
2007 (unfilled circles), 2008 (filled circles).
and is better explained by natural immigration of adults
across the English Channel. Although there are a cluster ofrecords from Portland and Dungeness, both of which are
well known as landfall sites for migrating birds & insects,
the wide spread of records from Kent to Dorset indicatesarrival on a broad front. Interestingly, warm southerly
airflows typically associated with insect migration were nota significant feature of the autumn during 2008 and theyear has been a poor one for immigrant Lepidoptera. These
considerations certainly testify to the powerful flight of L.
occidentalis, one can only wonder at the possible scale of
the arrival had weather conditions been more favourable
for insect dispersal. Since both Portland & Dungeness have ahistory of regular light trapping, it is likely that these records
refer to the species’ first significant attempt to colonize theUK
The inland and particularly the northern occurrences of
L. occidentalis are more likely to be of introduced origin;

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

indeed one record from Merseyside relates directly to timber
shipments from the USA. It is pertinent that the Kendal
specimen was taken near a school that was undergoing major
construction work, with regular arrivals of large amounts oftimber (R. Petley-Jones, pers. comm.). It is however possiblethat the records from Surrey and London reflect the naturalinland dispersal of coastal immigrants.
As yet, there have been no records on a live host plant in
the UK and breeding populations have not been detected.
However, given the large size and spectacular appearance of
L. occidentalis, as well as its propensity for entering buildings,
it should soon become apparent whether it has managed
to gain a foothold here. Within a decade this species hasconquered 16 countries in Europe due to its efficient
reproductive & dispersal capabilities. There seem no obvious
reasons why it should not continue to spread and become
established in the UK, if it has not done so already.
Lis et al. (2008) emphasised the need for more detailed
research on the population biology of L. occidentalis in Europe
and mentioned the possible effects of this invasive species
on coniferous forest ecosystems. They also suggested thatnational plant protection organisations should cooperate
in conducting a survey of the distribution & population
characteristics of this bug.

Jnl of Economic Entomology, 84, 215–217.
Dusoulier, F., Lupoli, R., Aberlenc, H.P. & Streito, J.C. 2007. L’ invasion
orientale de Leptoglossus occidentalis en France: bilan de son extension
biogéographique en 2007 (Hemiptera Coreidae).
L’Entomologiste, 63, 303-308.
Gall, W.K. 1992. Further eastern range extension and host records for
Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) well documented dispersal ofa household nuisance.
Great Lakes Entomologist, 25, 159–171.
Kment, P. & Baňař, P. 2008. Additional records of the invasive Nearctic bug
Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) in Croatia.
Natura Croatica, 17 (2), 141-147.
Koerber, T.W. 1963. Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera, Coreidae), a newly
discovered pest of coniferous seed. Annals of the Entomological Society ofAmerica, 56, 229–234.
Krugman, S.L. & Koerber, T.W. 1969. Effect of feeding by Leptoglossus
occidentalis on ponderosa pine seed development.
Forest Science, 15, 104–111.
Lis, J. A., Lis, B. & Gubernator, J. 2008. Will the invasive western conifer seedbug Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann seize all of Europe?
Zootaxa, 1740, 66–68.
McPherson J.E., Packauskas R.J., Taylor S.J. & O’Brien M.F. 1990. Eastern
range extension of Leptoglossus occidentalis with a key to Leptoglossus speciesof America North of Mexico (Heteroptera: Coreidae).
Great Lakes Entomologist, 23 (2), 99–104.
Malumphy, C. & Reid, S. 2007. Non-native Heteroptera associated with
imported plant material in England during 2006 & 2007. HetNews, 10, 2–3.
Rabitsch, W. 2008. Alien true bugs of Europe.
Zootaxa, 1827: 1-44.
Schaefer, C.W. & Panizzi, A. R. 2000.
Heteroptera of Economic Importance. Ch. 11: Leaf-footed bugs (Coreidae).
Book publ.by CRC Press
Strong, W.B., Bates, S.L. & Stoehr, M.U. 2001. Feeding by Leptoglossus
occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae) reduces seed set in lodgepole pine
(Pinaceae).
The Canadian Entomologist, 133, 857-865.
Villa, M., Tescari, G. & Taylor, S.J. 2001. Nuovi dati sulla presenza in Italia di
Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera, Coreidae).
Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana, 133, 101–112 (in Italian).
Wheeler, A.G. 1992.
Leptoglossus occidentalis, a new conifer pest & household nuisance inPennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Bulletin, 18, 29–30.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Stuart Hine (Natural History Museum) for tracking down several
records, & Christine Tilbury (Forest Research) for interception details. This
work was part funded by the Plant Health Division of Defra.

Contact e-mail address: c.malumphy@csl.gov.uk
Postal addressesCM, SR : Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ
JB : Leeds Museum Discovery Centre, Carlisle Rd, Hunslet, Leeds LS10 1LB
TB : 101 Crouch Hill, London N8 9RD

REFERENCES

Bates, S.L. 2000. Impact of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae) on
Douglas-fir seed production.
Jnl of Economic Entomology, 93, 1444–1451.
Blatt, S.E. 1994. An unusually large aggregation of the western conifer seedbug, Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae), in a man-made structure.
Jnl of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 91, 71–72.
Connely, A.E. & Schowalter, T.D. 1991. Seed losses to feeding by
Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) during two periods of second
year cone development in Western White Pine.

First interception of Natalicola pallidus (Westwood) (Tessaratomidae)
in the UK
Chris Malumphy & Sharon Reid

A live adult Natalicola pallidus (Westwood) (Tessaratomidae)
was found at Heathrow Airport by the Plant Health andSeeds Inspectorate on a Fairy Crassula (Crassula multicava)
plant imported from South Africa in May 2008. This is thefirst time that a tessaratomid has been intercepted in the
UK. Despite it’s large size (L=24 mm, w=17.5 mm) the bug
was inconspicuous on the succulent plant as it matched
the size and shape of the leaves. N. pallidus occurs widely in
sub-Saharan Africa but its biology does not appear to havebeen studied in detail. It is recorded feeding on aubergine(Solanum melongena). It was observed feeding (or at leastprobing with its mouthparts) on the fairy crassula, an
important landscape and garden plant in southern Africa.
The bug is related to and very similar in appearance tothe edible stinkbug, Encosternum delegorguei Spinola, a
traditional cultural delicacy in southern African countries.
The bugs are generally harvested in winter when there is little
other food available. The live bugs are washed repeatedly inbuckets of warm water to remove their defensive secretions,boiled and sun dried. They can also be fried with salt and alittle water, until the water evaporates and then served withpap (mealie meal). Unfortunately, as we only had a single
tessaratomid specimen, we weren’t able to try any of therecipes.
Contact e-mail address:

c.malumphy@csl.gov.uk

Figure1 - Natalicola pallidus.

© 2008 Central Science Laboratory, UK
Het News 12, Autumn 2008

The eastern invasion of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Coreidae) in France, 2007.
Franςois Dusoulier, Roland Lupoli, Henri-Pierre Aberlenc & Jean-Claude Streito
Shortened English version translated & ed.ited by: Sheila Brooke & Bernard Nau
French original: L’Entomologiste, 63, 6, 303-308,(2007) , PDF from: www1.montpellier.inra.fr/CBGP/2008-65-Leptoglosus.pdf

EcologyL. occidentalis feeds on seeds and young flowers of several
species of conifer. It has been found on Pinus, Pseudotsuga
and Cedrus, but also on Pistacia and on an odd occasion
on Citrus. Its presence might have passed unnoticed but
adults cover considerable distances to find hibernation sites,
often in houses, where they aggregate between September
and November; this behaviour is readily noticed by nonentomologists. Males produce an aggregation pheromone
enabling many individuals to group together.
In France, three species of bug overwinter in buildings(although not necessarily in aggregations). They are thePentatomids Palomena prasina, Raphigaster nebulosa andNezara viridula. L. occidentalis is the first coreid in France toshow this behaviour.

Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Figure 1) is an
American bug (Western Conifer Seed Bug) originally fromthe western USA. It originally ranged from British Columbia
to northern Mexico, and west Texas. Its range was limited by
the Rocky Mountains to the east, the cold to the north anddesert to the south. It was not found beyond the Rockies
until 1956, in Iowa, probably transported there accidentally.
Its eastward expansion began in the 1970s when it became
established in Wisconsin & Illinois; then in the mid-1980s it
was found in Kansas, Alabama, Minnesota, Michigan and inin Ontario, Canada. In 1990 it reach New York, and in 1992
Pennsylvania (Figure 2). The adults congregate under coverin large numbers to hibernate. Multitudes have amassed
on windows of buildings, such that they have sometimes
become a nuisance.
L. occidentalis began its invasion across the Atlantic, by sea
or air, arriving in Europe in northern Italy, probably Venice.
The first were noticed in October 1999 near Vicenza, andby 2001 it had been recorded near Milan, Frioul, Rome, theAbruzzes, Naples and finally Sicily. In July 2006 it was recorded
in Liguria only 40km from the French frontier. Presumably it
was from this introduction that the bug spread to countries
encircling the Alps - Switzerland
2002, Slovenia 2003, Croatia 2004,
Hungary 2004, Austria 2005, andCzech Republic 2007 (Figure 3).
Since arriving in Italy, there
have been reports of at least 4
new accidental introductions in
Europe: Spain, near Barcelona 26
September 2003; France, Le Havre
in 2006; Great Britain, Weymouth
in 2007; and Belgium, Ostend in
October 2007.
In France, the presence of thisbug was first published in 2006, but
without an exact locality - one wasfound drowned in a swimming poolin the Mediterranean region. Then,on 15 May 2006, it was reportedby the French plant protection
agency in Le Havre where several
were found while inspecting acontainer of oak from the USA. The
consignment was treated and until
now there have been no further
reports of the insect from SeineMaritime.
It is most likely that new
introductions have been by ship,
as timber is frequently transported
by sea and five recent European
introductions were near container
ports: Venice, Barcelona, Le Havre,
Weymouth & Ostend.

Spread in France
Due to communication between entomologists via theinternet, collection of specimens, information sharing, andnumerous photographs from naturalists’ groups, the spreadof this species in France can be mapped by départment(Figs. 4 & 5). This incidentally demonstrates the value ofentomologists networking using
new technology such as digital
photography & internet).
The first specimen to be seenin the wild in France was one
photographed in a garden in
Haute-Corse on 9th September
2005.
From 2006 sightings
became more numerous, 19 werereported that year and 72 in 2007.
The species is now present in thewhole Mediterranean region eastof Montpellier. It has spread west
along the valleys of the Agoutand Garonne, and to the north it
has followed the Rhone valley, theDurance to Ebrun and the Isere to
Grenoble. It is now found in 20
French departments.
The bug has been captured on
two occasions above 1000m: SaintAndré-d’Ebrun (Hautes-Alpes) at
1020m and on conifers at the Ferrier
Pass (Alpes-Maritime) at 1050m.
In France the spread of L.
occidentalis is concentrated in
the south east, clearly suggestingthat the population originatedin Italy. The absence of sightings
in the Pyrenees-Orientales and
Aude suggests that the Spanish
population has not spread from
north of the Pyrenees.
Figure 1 - Leptoglossus occidentalis
The isolated occurrence of L.
10

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Conclusions
L. occidentalis has progressed rapidly across Europe and is
now part of our fauna. In its journey north and west roundthe Alps, it would not have been limited by climatic factors
as it tolerates the similar climate of British Columbia in
Canada. It is, therefore, possible that this invasive species
will colonise all of Europe where there are conifers, fromthe warmer regions of Italy and Spain, even N. Africa, to thecolder regions of Poland, Scandinavia & Russia.
Its impact on the reproduction of conifers isimportant. Foresters must be vigilant for its impact
on natural regeneration. Surveillance by a network ofentomologists will allow the biogeographical spread,and any accompanying damage, to be followed, year by
year, in the same way as the Colorado Beetle, Leptinotarsa
decemlineata or the Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis.

occidentalis in Paris in 2007 remains unexplained. Considering
distances, there is little chance that the bug reached Paris
without human intervention. The nearest known site was Le
Havre but the population did not seem to have establisheditself there at the time. The bug could have taken advantageof either accidental transportation from a European ‘hotbed’,by road or rail, or even by air traffic.
Details of all records from France are listed in Table 1.
[Editorial note: In a recent e-mail to us (14th Oct.2008),
François Dusoullier says: “… the species has now spread
across the N of France. We have found many locations inNormandy and the central region. In one year, the species
jumped nearly 500 km north.” Furthermore entomologists
in Britain have found it arriving on a broad front across the S
coast of England in autumn 2008. ]Figure 3 - Range of L. occidentalis in Europe.

Figure 2 - Range of L. occidentalis in N America.

Figure 5 - L. occidentalis in France, 2007.

Figure 4 - L. occidentalis in France, 2005-2006.

Het News 12, Autumn 200811

Table 1 - Details of records of L. occidentalis in France, 2005-2007
Ain – Miribel 20-X- 2007 !! .
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – Entrevennes 13-X-2007 !! .
Hautes-Alpes – Embrun début X-2007 !, 17-XI-2007 ! ; Gap 26-X- 2006 !!,27-X-2006 !!, 2-II-2007 !!, 2-X-2007 !!, 29-XI-2007 !! ; Saint-André-d’Embrun
30-VII-2007 !! ; Trescléoux 18-XI-2006 et 24-X- 2007 !! .
Alpes-Maritimes – Grasse 22-X-2007 !! ; Mougins 25-IX-2006 !; 26-IX-2006,
LNPV !! ; Nice, suburbs, on the hills 8-X- 2007 UV trap & 20-X- 2007 !! ;Saint- Vallier-de-Thiey, Col du Ferrier 1-X-2007 !! , Villefranche-sur-Mer 10X- 2007 !! ; Vallauris 20-XI-2007 ! .
Ardèche – Saint-Julien-du-Serre autumn 2006 & 2007 !; 5-IX-2007 & 14-X2007 ! ; Soyons 21-X-2006, LNPV !! ; Vallon-Pont-d’Arc 14-X-2007 !! .
Bouches-du-Rhône – AiX- en-Provence, town centre 25-IX-2007 , AiX- enProvence, l’Arbois 17-X-2007 !; 31-X-2007 !! , AiX- en-Provence, les Milles
18-X-2007 !! ; Cornillon-Confoux 10- X- 2006 !, X-2007 & XI-2007 !! ; SaintChamas 16-X-2007!! .
Haute-Corse – Lucciana 9-IX-2005 ! .
Drôme – Bourg-lès-Valence 27-III-2007 !; Livron-sur-Drôme, Les Cercols 30IX-2006 !! .
Gard – Aramon 1-VIII-2006 !!, larval instars V & II respectively 18- VIII-2007& 20-VIII-2007 !!, adults 27-VIII-2007 to 27-XI-2007 !!; Beaucaire 28-X-2007;
Chusclan summer & autumn 2007 !! ; Foissac 26-X- 2007; Mialet 24-X2007 ; Montfrin 17-X- 2007 ; Nîmes 14-X- 2007 ! ; Orsan 26-IX-2006 et
28-IX-2006 !! ; Peyremale X- 2007 ; Portes 27-X- 2007 ; Poulx 18-X- 2007 ! ;Saint-Ambroix 13-X- 2007 ; Sommières X- 2007 ; Vergèze 17-X- 2007.
Hérault – Fabrègues 21-X- 2006 ! ; Grabels end IX-2007!!; 29-X- 2007 !! ; La
Grande-Motte early X-2006 & 2007 !!, 19-IX-2007 !! ; Montaud 30-X- 2006,
LNPV !! ; Montferrier- sur-Lez campus de Lavalette IX-2007 !! , Montferriersur-Lez, campus de Baillarguet 10-X- 2007t !! ; Montpellier 24-X- 2007 !!;X- 2007 !! ; Saint- Clément-la-Rivière 25-IX-2007 !! ; Saint-Gély-du-Fesc X2007 !! ; Sainte-CroiX- de-Quintillargues X-2007 et XI- 2007!! ; Vendargues
27-X- 2006, LNPV !!.
Isère – Grenoble 18-X- 2007, Sophie Quémerais !.Lot-et-Garonne –Monségur 13-XI-2006, Dimitri Geystor !!.
Lozère – Saint-André-Capcèze 19-X- 2007; Vialas XI-2007.
Paris – Paris, porte de Champerret 8-X- 2007 !!
Rhône – Brignais 13-X- 2007 ! ; Lyon 25-X- 2007.
Seine-Maritime – Le Havre; interception 15-V- 2006, LNPV !.
Tarn – Cadalen 19-X- 2007 ! .
Tarn-et-Garonne – L’Honor-de-Cos 22-X- 2007, Denis Pommier !.
Var – Montauroux end iX- 2007, LNPV !! , Toulon 15-X- 2007!! .
Vaucluse – Avignon 2007 !, 3-X-2007!!., early XI-2007!! ; Avignon, île de laBarthelasse 2-X-2007, LNPV !! ; Cabrières-d’Aigues 2-X-2007 !! ; Mormoiron
19-X-2007 !! ; Mornas 26-IX-2007 & 28-IX-2007 !! ; La Roque-sur-Pernes
14-X-2007 ! ; La Tour-d’Aigues 15-XI-2007, !! ; Uchaux XII-2006 !! ; Valréas,
Les Saﬀres ﬁn X-2007 !! .

References

Kment P. & Baňař P., 2007
Vroubenka americká před branami [The Western Conifer Seed Bug at theGate].
Živa, 5 : 221.
Koerber T.W., 1963
Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera, Coreidae), a newly discovered pest of
coniferous seed.
Ann.Ent. Soc. of America, 56 : 229-234.
Malumphy C. & Reid S., 2007
Non-native Heteroptera associated with imported plant material in England
during 2006 & 2007.
Het News,10: 2-4.
McPherson J.E., Packauskas R.J., et al. 1990. – Eastern Range Extension of
Leptoglossus occidentalis with a key to Leptoglossus species of America Northof Mexico.
Great Lakes Entomologist, 23 : 99-104.
Moulet P., 2006
Un nouveau Coréide en France : Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910
(Heteroptera Coreidae).
L’Entomologiste, 62 (5-6) : 183-184.
Rabitsch W. & Heiss E., 2005
Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910, eine amerikanische Adventivart
auch in Österreich aufgefunden (Heteroptera, Coreidae).
Ber. des nat.- med. Verein Innsbruck, 92 : 131-135.
Ribes J. & Escola O., 2005
Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910, hemípter neàrctic trobat a
Catalunya (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae).
Resums Sessio Conjunta d’Ent., ICHN-SCL, 13: 47-50.
Tescari G., 2001
Leptoglossus occidentalis, Coreide neartico rinvenuto in Italia (Heteroptera,
Coreidae).
Lavori Società Veneziana di Scienze Naturali, 26 : 3-5.
Tescari G., 2004
First record of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera, Coreidae) in Croatia.

Aukema B. & Libeer R., 2007
Eerste waarneming van Leptoglossus occidentalis in België (Heteroptera:
Coreidae).
Bull. Soc. Roy. Belge d’Entomologie, 143 : sous presse.
Bates S.l., Lait C.g., Borden J.h. & Kermode A.r., 2002
Measuring the impact of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) on
seed production in lodgepole pine using an antibody - based assay.
Jnl of Economical Entomology, 95 (4) : 770-777.
Bernardinelli I., 2003
Cimice delle conifere (Leptoglossus occidentalis).
<http://web.uniud.it/leptoglossus/> (19 Oct 2007).
Bernardinelli I. & Zandigiacomo P., 2001
A leaf-footed conifer seed bug recently found in northern Italy : Leptoglossus
occidentalis Heidemann (Heteroptera – Coreidae). Universita degli Studi di
Udine.
<http://web.uniud.it/entomoinfo/Leptoglossus/leptouk.htm> (19 Oct 2007).
Blatt S.e., 1994
An unusually large aggregation of the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus
occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae), in a man-made structure.
Jnl of the Ent. Society of British Columbia, 91 : 71-72.
Blatt S. E. & Borden J. H., 1996
Evidence for a male-produced aggregation pheromone in the western conifer
seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis.
Canadian Entomologist, 128 : 177-178.
Froeschner R. C., 1988
Family Coreidae Leach,1815.
In: Henry T. J. & Froeschner R. C. (ed.) pp. 69-92.
Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental
United States. New York, E. J. Brill, 958pp.
Gogala A., 2003
Listonožka (Leptoglossus occidentalis) že v Sloveniji (Heteroptera, Coreidae).
Acta Entomologica Sloveniae, 11 : 189-190.
Harmat B., Kondorosy E. & Redei D., 2006
A nyugati levéllábú poloska (Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann) elsőMagyarországi megjelenése (Heteroptera : Coreidae). [1st occurrence in
Hungary].
Növénydédelem, 42 (9) : 491-494.
Jacobs S., 2003
Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis.
<http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/western_conifer seed_bug.
htm> (19 Oct 2007).
Klass C., 2003
Western Conifer Seed Bug : An Unwanted Houseguest.
<http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/grownet/insect-pests/westernconifer.
htm> (19 Oct 2007).

Entomologica Croatia, 8 : 73-75.
Villa M., Tescari G. & Taylor S.J., 2001
Nuovi dati sulla presenza in Italia di Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera
Coreidae).
Bol.della Soc.Entomologica Italiana, 133 (2) : 101-112.
Wheeler A.G. Jr., 1992
Leptoglossus occidentalis, A New Conifer Pest and Household Nuisance inPennsylvania.
Reg. Hort. V., 18 : 29-30.

Please send contributions for the next
issue by 30th April 200912

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Identification & habitat of Velia spp (water-crickets).
Bernard Nau

V. caprai

Water-crickets are a familiar sight on water bodies ranging
from small streams and ditches, to the margins of rivers andlakes. In 1951 E.S.Brown found that two species are present
in the British Isles, following Tamanini’s revision of the genus.
Previously, all our Velia had been recorded as V. currens, a
species which, it turned out, does not actually occur here
at all! Of our two species one is ubiquitous and the otheris of more restricted distribution - and under-recorded - thespecies are V. caprai and V. saulii respectively.
Identification of our Velia is not always straightforward,
especially in males, so these notes are presented tosupplement published keys. Useful diagnostic characters
are scattered through several published papers, as follows.
The 1956 & 1965 editions of Macan’s water-bug keys
and Savage’s 1988 version thereof, give external structuralcharacters for distinguishing certain forms of the two
species. They use details of the abdomen for idenficationof wingless females, and the form of the genital spicules formales - a dissection job.
Brown’s 1951 paper offers useful advice. He points out thatin V. saulii the pronotum & sternum are black or blackish,rather than paler or rufous; and the puncturation on the
pronotum is less dense. Also, in male caprai the hind femur
is somewhat inflated, but not in saulii.
A short 1956 paper by J. H. Flint adds useful insight on
habitat differences, and describes differences in the black
markings of the connexivum for separating wingless males.
A 1959 paper by R. O. Brinkhurst endorses Flint’s use of theconnexivum markings as a useful field character.
The characters & habitats referred to in the above aresummarised in the accompanying text box and figures.

Wingless maleConnexivum black markings smaller & always triangular.
Wingless female▶ Connexivum folded flat against upperside of abdomen; in side viewapical point is angled upwards or horizontally.
▶ Pronotum shorter, hind edge slightly concave, metanotum exposed.
Winged male & female▶ Pronotum & sternum: paler, often brownish .
▶ Wing markings: whitish; basal streak ends before basal spot; central
spot ovate, longer than the round apical spot. cross vein near baseof wing.
▶ Connexivum terminal segments converging.
Habitat - open water of sheltered streams & ditches, sometimes margins
of pools. Normally water margins vegetated, e.g. overhanging
grasses, or emergent vegetation such as watercress (Rorippa)
or brooklime (Veronica becca-bunga). Gregarious, often in large
aggregations.

V. saulii
Wingless male
▶ Connexivum: black markings larger, more or less rectangular.
Wingless female▶ Connexivum: directed vertically upwards; in side view pointed apex
is downcurved.
▶ Pronotum: longer, hind edge convex, covers metanotum.
Winged male & female▶ Pronotum & sternum: darker, black or blackish.
▶ Wing markings: whitish; basal streak ‘overlaps’ basal spot; central
spot circular, about same size as apical spot. No cross vein (at mosta dark line).
▶ Connexivum: terminal segments virtually parallel.
Habitat- still or flowing water bodies, margins unvegetated stony
shores; on stony shores often under edge of large stones. Less
gregarious, not usually in large aggregations.
B.S.Nau

References
Brinkhurst, R.O., 1959, The habitats and distribution of British Gerris andVelia species. J. Soc. Brit. Ent., 6(2), pp37-44.
Brown, E.S., 1951, The identity of British Velia (Hem., Veliidae), with an account of a species new to Britain. Ent. Mon.Mag., 87, pp297-304.
Brown, E.S., 1954, Notes on the rarer British species of aquatic and semiaquatic Hemiptera. The Entomologist, 87, pp45-53.
Flint,J.H., 1956, A note on the habitat of the British species of Velia (Hem.,
Veliidae). Ent. Mon.Mag., 92, p228.
Macan, T.T., 1956, A revised key to the British water bugs (Hemiptera-Heteroptera). Freshwater Biological Assoc., Sci. Publn. no. 16.
Macan, T.T., 1965, A revised key to the British water bugs (Hemiptera-Heteroptera). Freshwater Biological Assoc., Sci. Publn. no. 16, 2nd edition.
Savage, A.A., 1988, Adults of the British aquatic Hemiptera Heteroptera.
Freshwater Biological Assoc., Sci. Publn. no. 50.

Figure captions:-

Wingless females
1&3 - Profile showing expanded base of abdomen& orientation of connexivum apex.
2&4 - View from above showing pronotum length & exposure ofmetanotum;
details of apex of inwardly folded connexivum.

Figures from E.S. Brown (1951), edited B.S.Nau (2008)

Winged females
5&6 - White marks on hemelytra, 2 basal & 2 apical;
black marks on edge of pale connexivum;
cross vein of V. caprai.

cross
vein
basal
marks ofhemelytra

apicalmarks ofhemelytra➊➋

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

➌

➍

➎
13

➏

connexivum
marksIlustrations of British species of Phytocoris of subgenus Phytocoris (Miridae).
Stuart Foster

stuart@blackdan6.plus.com© 2008 Stuart Foster© 2008 Stuart Foster

These beautiful watercolours of the British species of Phytocoris(subgenus Phytocoris) were painted by Stuart Foster in 1984 for theHeteropterists’ Newsletter (1st Series), but at that time could not be
reproduced. They were painted from actual specimens and Stuart has
kindly offered them to Het News. We think they will be a very usefulsupplement to your Phytocoris key, as well as delightful to look at.
Eds.

Phytocoris
dimidiatus,
Kirschbaum

14

Phytocoris
reuteri,
Saunders

Het News 12, Autumn 2008© 2008 Stuart Foster

Kirschbaum© 2008 Stuart Foster© 2008 Stuart Foster© 2008 Stuart Foster
Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Phytocorispini,

Phytocorislongipennis,
Flor

15

Phytocoris
populi,(Linnaeus)

Phytocoristiliae,(Fabricius)

AROUND THE BRITISH ISLESSURREY....................................................................... vc17
Peter Hodge
A second British site forthe mirid Orthotylus caprai
At the November 2008 BENHS Annual Exhibition, Peter
Hodge exhibited two Orthotylus caprai collected from
Cypress (Chamaecyparis) in a cemetery at Kingston, Surrey.

12th August 2008 he swept a 5th instar nymph from herbage
beside an old track at a post industrial site near Stanford le
Hope in South Essex (vc18) near the Thames. Although it
was kept alive in captivity in the hope of rearing it through,it died after a couple of weeks. However on 23rd August, inexactly the same area of the same site, he swept two more
5th instar nymphs, one of which he kept alive in captivity.
This one moulted and matured into an adult on 27th August.
On 8th September, again from the same small area, a further
5th instar nymph was swept. Clearly this shield bug is likely
to turn up elsewhere in the Thames Gateway region.
The bug genus Metopoplax seems well established atseveral sites near the Thames in south Essex. Peter Kirby
has identified Metopoplax fuscinervis from material
PH collected at West Thurrock Marshes (vc18) in 2005,
commenting that it has the same ecology as Metopoplax
ditomoides, seems always to occur with it and specimens
turn up which are intermediate between the two – none ofwhich inspires confidence!
PH collected M. ditomoides (also identified by Peter Kirby)
from three sites in south Essex:(i) An old landfill site at Vange (S Essex, vc18) in 2006.
(ii) A brownfield site (now destroyed) in the London boroughof Newham (vc18) in 2007.
(iii) On four occasions in 2008 on the same post-industrialsite near Stanford le Hope (vc18) mentioned above, where
he had found the Nezara viridula. Interestingly, on eachoccasion the M. ditomoides were on the same part of thesite as the Nezara, although he could see no plant species
or vegetation structure that would explain why both
species seemed to be confined to this one small area.

Address:
peter.j.hodge@tesco.net

S & N ESSEX........................................................vc 18&19
Peter Harvey
Gonocerus, Nezara & Metapoplax in Essex in 2008
On 24th August 2008 Peter was pleased to find an
adult Box Bug Gonocerus acuteangulatus perched on a
Mahonia bush immediately adjacent to an old bush of Box(Buxus) in his garden in Grays (vc18). Just three days later atWalthamstow (vc18), he beat a number of nymphs from rose
scrub supporting a good quantity of rose hips. Suspecting
they too might be Gonocerus, he reared one. Obligingly
it moulted and matured on 2nd September, providing
confirmation. Then examination of the Box in his Grays
garden on 15th September produced a second adult. Finally,on 12th September he beat an adult G. acuteangulatus fromhip bearing rose scrub at Cheshunt Marsh (TL 3715 0093,
vc 19 N Essex), just NW of Waltham Abbey and probably a
first for this vice-county. This site is only 200m or so from theboundary between N Essex (vc19) & Herts (vc20).
On 21 Oct 2003 Peter collected a 5th instar nymph of Nezara
viridula (Fig.1) at a brownfield site in Stratford (TQ377841,
vc18), which has now probably been destroyed as part ofdevelopments in preparation for the 2012 Olympics. He
noticed its striking appearance at the time, but did not record
whether it was swept from herbage or beaten from scrub at
the site. Peter Kirby subsequently identified the shield bug
along with other bug and plant hopper material. Then on

Address:grays@peterharvey.freeserve.co.uk

Fig 1a,b - Nezara viridula 5th instar nymph and adult.
© 2008 Peter Harvey16

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

MIDDLESEX................................................................ vc21
Alan Diver
Nezara viridula in a Staines garden, 2006-2008
The following observations are collated from Alan’s e-mail‘diaries’ over the last three seasons:
2006: I first saw the Southern Green Shield Bugs in my
Staines (Middlesex) garden on August 2006, when picking
runner beans. There appeared to be two adults and at least
30 nymphs. I glimpsed them each time I picked beans. They
seem to be quite happy feeding on the bean stems and leaves.
Finally it got to late September, when I needed to dismantle
the frame and get the bean plants into my compost heap. By
this time the insects had dispersed somewhat. I took a coupleof adults on their bean stem with leaves and put them on aplastic bucket outside my kitchen door. They stayed there
for several weeks and then disappeared, hopefully to returnin 2007.
2007: Southern Green Shield Bugs again found on myrunner beans but not in the same numbers as last year,
which appeared to be a ‘brood’. This year I saw two on the
25th August and one the following week, 1st September. All
three were about 3mm in length. Last year there were two
which were about 9mm in length.
2008: Again this year I have a ‘litter’ of Southern Green
Shield Bugs on my runner beans. They do not seem to do
any damage. I first saw them on the 25th July and they arestill with me. On 8th Sept, after a weeks holiday, I picked thelatest crop of beans and found a nursery of nymphs about 1
to 2 mm in length, about a dozen in number. Occasionally
one will arrive in the kitchen - probably from the runner
beans collected from the garden.

E SUFFOLK.................................................................. vc25
Jerry Bowdrey
The coreid Spathocera dalmanii new to Suffolk
Whilst searching for insects on the south-facing sea wallat Seafield Bay, Stutton, Suffolk (TM1233, vc25) some small
hemipterans were noticed on thin, bare soil which had
accumulated between patches of low vegetation on thesurface of the concrete blocks forming the outer face ofthe sea wall. These proved to on closer examination be thecoreid Spathocera dalmanii (Notable A), both adults and final
instar nymphs.
Nigel Cuming, the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society’s Terrestrial
Heteroptera Recorder, kindly confirmed that he has no otherrecords of this species from the county. Also, neither Suffolk
Biological Records Centre nor Bernard Nau have Suffolk
records. The species is represented in the Morley collection
at Ipswich Museum, but his specimens were not collected
in Suffolk.
Seafield Bay lies on the north bank of the River Stourand the sea wall faces due south; the bugs appeared to besunning themselves on the bare soil and there is plentyof sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella), the usual foodplant(Hawkins, 2003), present.
The species has also been found nearby in N Essex (vc19)
on a previously burnt area of acid grassland, and at a disused
gravel pit (Bowdrey 2000, Forsyth 2005).
References
Bowdrey, J.P., 2000, Spathocera dahlmanni (Schilling) (Heteroptera:
Coreidae) at Middlewick Ranges. Essex Naturalist, 17 (New Series), p73.
Forsyth, L., 2005, Island of wildlife. The story of Fingrinhoe Wick- a gravel
pit nature reserve. Essex Wildlife Trust.
Address:

Jerry Bowdrey
Colchester & Ipswich Museum Service
14, Ryegate Road, Colchester, Essex CO1 1YG
jerry.bowdrey@colchester.gov.uk

Address:alanadiver@google.com

E NORFOLK................................................................. vc27
Doreen Wells
Gonocerus acuteangulatus (Box bug) new to Norfolk
On 30th May 2008 at 1610 I saw a specimen of this bug ona cherry tree (Prunus sp.) in the gardens of Norwich Castle(Grid Ref: TG 233 085) . The tree was growing next to Hazel(Corylus avellana). It very kindly posed for photographs(Fig.1) and then flew off, not to be seen again. I was quite
excited about this sighting, but contained myself until Ken
Durrant (County Recorder for Norfolk & Norwich Naturalist
Society) confirmed my identification! Ken also said that hedid not know of a recorded sighting in Norfolk before.
Address:

wells_doreen@hotmail.com

Fig 1 - Nezara viridula nymphs on runner beans.
© 2008 Alan Diver

Fig 1 - Gonocerus acuteangulatus at Norwich Castle.
© 2008 Doreen Wells
Het News 12, Autumn 200817

E & W NORFOLK..................................................vc 27&28
Tony Cook
Water bugs of the North Norfolk Coast
Samples of water bugs taken along the North Norfolk
Coast in 2007 & 2008 contained a number of local species,
some of which were first records for the area. At Titchwell(vc28) in April 08 the following species were taken from
freshwater sites, mainly ponds fringed with Phragmites, andditches south (landward) of the main freshwater lagoon:
Ranatra linearis
Cymatia bonsdorffii
C. coleoptrata
Corixa panzeri
Hesperocorixa linnaei
Paracorixa concinna
Sigara dorsalis
S. fossarum
S. lateralis

BEDFORDSHIRE......................................................... vc 30
Bernard Nau
High flying Kleidocerys
Jason Chapman (Rothamsted Reasearch) sent me twomale Kleidocerys resedae netted from a balloon ‘high above
Cardington airfield’ on 20th May and 24th July 2007.
SHROPSHIRE............................................................. vc 40
Andy Hamer
Aphelocheirus aestivalis in the Shropshire Union Canal
On 8th November 2008 I visited the Shropshire Union
Canal (SJ5646, vc 40); I try to sample a selection of habitats oneach visit and this may include the canal wall, lock gates, silt,
any vegetated area within the canal, any unusual site suchas a breach of the canal wall, any inlet drains etc. One suchfeature I sampled was a water bypass for the locks; the waterleaving the canal via a concrete drain on the western sideof the locks and re-entering on the eastern side of the locks
after around a 3 metre drop over 25 metres. The re-entry
point consisted of a concrete lip that was spread over around5 metres giving it a weir-like appearance, probably there tocalm and spread the turbulent water as it comes crashingdown the drain. Where the delta effect occurs, there is an
accumulation of small stones and shell remnants creating asmall area that resembles a gravel bed of a stream.
On the first dip I noticed the shrimp Gammarus tigrinus, initself unusual but I couldn’t believe my eyes on the second dip
when I looked into my net and saw Aphelocheirus aestivalis- the river bug. To my knowledge, there is only one otherrecord for Cheshire (from a stream in Northwich made by
Jonathan Guest nearly a decade ago) and none northwards
west of the Pennines until Cumbria. It is incredible that thisanimal found its way to this tiny site. Winged individuals arevery rare and it’s unlikely that the canal is suitable for the bug
as it is a plastron breather requiring high levels of oxygen.
An early nymph was also netted proving breeding.

Ilyocoris cimicoides
Notonecta glauca
Plea minutissima
Microvelia buenoi
M. pygmaea
M. reticulata
Gerris odontogaster

At Titchwell salinity, measured by conductivity, jumps
from <2 ppm (660 – 760 μS) in the freshwater pools to 22 ppt(26500 μS) in the brackish lagoon and practically seawater inthe tidal lagoon – both too saline for water bugs. At Holme& Cley there is a greater range of salinities in the tolerable
range for bugs between the landward & seaward sides of thereserves. Species at Holme (vc8) during 2007-2008 were:Micronecta sholtzi
Callicorixa praeusta
Corixa affinis
C. panzeri
C. punctata
Hesperocorixa linnaei
H. sahlbergi

Sigara dorsalis
S. iactans
S. lateralis
Ilyocoris cimicoides
Notonecta glauca
Microvelia reticulata
Gerris odontogasterS. lateralis was uncommon at Titchwell but abundant insmall dune ponds at Holme (dug for Natterjack Toads) witha conductivity of ~1400 μS (salinity <2ppt). S. stagnalis andCorixa affinis occured in a saline ditch (7750 μS, salinity
4.7ppt), with the crustacean Palaemonetes varians.
Species found at Cley (vc27) in August 2008 were:
The most saline site sampled was ‘New Cut’, a channel
Nepa cinerea
Callicorixa praeusta
Hesperocorixa linnaei
Paracorixa concinna
Sigara distincta
S. dorsalis
S. lateralis
S. stagnalis

Address:
andyhamer@andyhamer.com[There are a few Environment Agency records from Cheshire on the NBN
Gateway, from the 1990s and early 2000s but they clearly did not reach
the Cheshire Record Centre. There are no further records in that NW area
S of Cumbria. It is amazing how some bugs find small patches of suitable
habitat. The most unlikely places are always worth a look. BSN recalls
netting Aphelocheirus in a sluggish side channel of the River Great Ouse in
Bedford, so they might be in the Shropshire Union Canal too!
SEB ]Notonecta glauca
N. viridis
Mesovelia furcata
Hydrometra stagnorum
Microvelia reticulata
Gerris odontogasterS LINCOLNSHIRE........................................................... vc53
Richard Chadd (Environment Agency)
Notonecta obliqua Thunberg was found on 22/09/08
at River West Glen at B1176 (Burton-le-Coggles gauging
station): SK987260 (swept from fringing Phalaris arundinacea
beside shallow riffle/glide). This is one of very few records
for Lincolnshire and probably a first for VC53.
On the same day, a N.maculata from the same river (thistime at SK997233 - Swayfield Road) - not new to Lincs, but
still something of a rarity. Again, it was in fringing Phalaris,
but this time by a pool in the river, where it regularly driesup.

draining the Cley and Salthouse marshes into the R. Glaven,(9100 μS, salinity 6.34 ppt). Here only S. stagnalis andG. odontogaster were found. A single specimen of theuncommon macropterous form of Mesovelia furcata wasfound in a freshwater ditch close to the coast road on thesouthern side of the reserve.
Address:

tony.cook@dial.pipex.com

Address:richard.chadd@environment-agency.gov.uk

W NORFOLK............................................................... vc 28
Bernard Nau
Two spreading species in Norfolk
On 28th September 2008 I visited Swanton Novers Wood
NNR (TG015 3136) and beat Buchananiella continua fromdead leaves on a fallen bough, the first I had checked forthis species! I also swept one Stictopleurus punctatonervosus
from a ride verge. Both were a few metres inside vc28.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE & DERBYSHIRE................vc 56&57
David BudworthFirst county records for Deraeocoris flavilinea &Tupiocoris rhododendri, & notes on Heterogaster urticae.
I found D. flavilinea and T. rhododendri in the 3rd weekof July 2008 at Alfreton Park (vc 57), both are firsts for
18

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

Derbyshire. D. flavilinea was represented by a single malebut T. rhododendri was in good numbers of both sexes.
In July 2008 I also had D. flavilinea from Nottinghamshire,in Treswell Wood (vc56) near Retford . This was a first for thatcounty, and within a week of the Derbyshire record.
Another species change I have noticed concerns the lygaeid
Heterogaster urticae. This was essentially nonexistent in
my area until the 1990s. My first find of numbers was in apark in north Birmingham and I later found the species on
many nettle patches along the banks of the Rivers Trent andDerwent (even in the middle of Burton on Trent). It now
seems to have declined again and records are back to zero.
It would be interesting to see if these changes have been
noticed elsewhere in the country.

to this diverse and fascinating group. It was particularlyinteresting for someone like me who is more used to thefauna of fast flowing upland streams!
Although we didn’t find a huge range of species on site,
we got experience there of sampling techniques and how
to look for different species. We had previously collected
some beautifully slender hydrometrids and sturdy gerrids
from local tarns. We sampled additional material fromWindermere itself, which really demonstrated how different
members of the water bugs exploit different niches. Under
Sheila and Bernard’s expert tutelage we even found some
Microvelia secreted under the concrete slipway which enters
the lake beside FBA.
As well as viewing live specimens, which allowed us toobserve their behaviour and habitat preferences, there
was preserved material which we used for comparison

Address:

dbud01@aol.com

SE, NE, & NW YORKSHIRE............................. vc 61, 62, 65
Martin Hammond
Some Yorkshire water bugs in 2008
In South-east Yorkshire (vc 61), a clay-bedded pond near
Skeffling in South Holderness (TA 32) produced two Corixa
affinis. Although no great distance inland, this was clearlya freshwater pond with no brackish influence (electricalconductivity was around 550 µS/cm). This reminded me of thecomments in the Provisional Atlas (Huxley, 2003) regarding
the inland occurrence of C. affinis in Sussex.
Lake Gormire near Thirsk in North-east Yorkshire (SE58,vc62) is a natural mesotrophic lowland lake. An aquatic
invertebrate survey in September showed that corixids werevery sparse, probably due to heavy predation by Pike and Perchin the littoral zone. Notonecta maculata was locally-abundantand greatly outnumbered N. glauca but was, unusually,
restricted to well-vegetated areas of marginal fen. A single
immature Ranatra linearis provided evidence of continued
northwards expansion by this species.
A survey of 66 ponds on the Ministry of Defence’s CatterickTraining Area in North-west Yorkshire (vc 65) produced 28
water bug species. Although most of the ponds are on themoorland edge at intermediate elevations, they are also wellbuffered and have circumneutral pH. Corixids were abundantin larger water bodies with open vegetation. In contrast to
eutrophic lowland ponds in North Yorkshire, Sigara dorsalisand Hesperocorixa linnaei were rare though Sigara distincta
was almost ubiquitous. The less common small corixids suchas Cymatia bonsdorffii, Sigara limitata, S. semistriata and S.
venusta seemed to occur in clustered populations rather thanbeing obviously influenced by environmental variables.
Two urban-fringe sites in the city of York, with clayey pondsof recent origin, yielded Sigara limitata this autumn.

of morphology and getting to grips with identification
techniques. There was also a pinned collection for reference- a veritable mini, mobile museum!
The participants had a range of experience, from absolutebeginners to those with some previous knowledge of waterbugs, but everyone enjoyed the day and went away withnew skills and increased familiarity with this interestinggroup.
Sheila is tutoring a similar course next year (Saturday 25th
April 2009) as part of the FBA’s regular programme of training
courses. If you would like further details, please go to the
FBA website www.fba.org.uk or phone 01539 442468.

Address:

d.f.hammond@ntlworld.com
LAKE DISTRICTBBC TELEVISION WANTS TO KNOW IF HAVE WHATIT TAKES TO MAKE THE NEXT PLANET EARTH!

vc 69, 70

Water bug course at Windermere
Melanie Fletcher ( Freshwater Biological Association)
Windermere is a striking location to observe a plethora ofaquatic, and water bugs are no exception! Mitchell Wyke is asheltered bay which curls behind the Freshwater Biological
Association (FBA) headquarters, library & lab, which aresited right on the shore of the lake. It provides a protected
habitat and supports an abundance of macroinvertebrates
including corixids and notonectids, as well as the occasional
Nepa. This was the location for a course in May 2008 run by
the FBA and tutored by Sheila Brooke (Aquatic Heteroptera
Recording Scheme) with support from Bernard Nau.
Sheila (on right in photo) gave an excellent introduction
Het News 12, Autumn 2008

BBC One is looking for nine people to take part in theexperience of a lifetime. Encountering extraordinary animals
in amazing locations & testing yourself to the limit, this will
culminate in one exceptional individual securing a year’s
placement at the BBC’s world famous Natural History Unit.
If you are over 18 years old and can illustrate a passion for
the natural world the BBC wants to hear from you. For an
application form email your name to:endsoftheearth@bbc.co.uk

19

LITERATURE RELATING TO BRITISH HETEROPTERAContinued from Het News 10, Autumn 2007
INTERNATIONAL
Albrecht, A., Mattila, K., Rinne, V., Söderman, G., 2006
Check-list of Finnish Hem.
[unpublished document, 26-page printed A4 doc dated
1.6.2006; compiled by Finnish Hem. Group][Simple list follows Pal.Cat., not annotated.]
Aglyamzyanov, R., 2006
Revision der paläarktischen Arten der Gattung Lygus Hahn
(Heteroptera, Miridae).
Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades Doktor de
Naturwissenschaften, Fachbereich Biologie, Johannes
Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 70pp, 224 figs & colour
photos.
Aukema,B.,Bos, F., Hermes, D., & Zeinstra, P., 2005
Nieuwe en interessante Nederlandse wantsen II, met een
geactualiseerde naamlijst (Hemiptera: Heteroptera).
Nederlandse Faunistische Meddeelingen, 23, pp63-76,(2005)[Checklist of Heteroptera of NL]
Bütner, R., 2007
Arocatus longiceps Stal, 1872, in der Innenstadt vonErlangen (Bayern, Mittelfranken).
Heteropteron (Köln, ISSN 1432-3761) , 25,p15, (2007)[On 10-15 yr-old Platanus sp., Aug 2007, photo(b&w), 4
refs.]
Constant, J., 2007
Note on coprophily and necrophily in the HemipteraHeteroptera.
Bull. de la Soc.royale belge d’Entomologie, 77, pp107-112[In English]
Damken, C., 2008
Habitatmodelle für wanzen (Insecta: Heteroptera)
städtischer brachflächen.
Heteropteron (Köln, ISSN 1432-3761), 26, pp7-11, (2008)[Het fauna of brownfield sites in Berlin & Bremen listed;statistical analysis of habitat preferences of Trigonotylus
ruficornis.]
DuSoulier,F., 2007
L’invasion orientale de Leptoglossus occidentalis en
France: bilan de son extension biogéographique en 2007
(Hemiptera Coreidae).
L’Entomologiste, 63, pp303-308, (2007)[Photo, maps of spread in N America, Europe & France;
ecology; detailed French records]..
, 2007
Clé de détermination des Acanthosomatidae Signoret,
1864 du Massif armoricain (Hemiptera, Heteroptera).
Invertébrés Armoricains, 1, pp7-13, (2007)[Incl. Elasmostethus minor, Elasmucha ferrugata, E fieberi]
Eickert, C., Ridley, R., Werner, D.J., 2007
Gonocerus acuteangulatus (Goeze, 1778) nun schon in
Hamburg.
Heteropteron, 25, p29, (2007).
Hoffmann, H-J, 2008
Auf Platanen: nur Arocatus longiceps oder doch auch A.
roeselii?
Heteropteron, 26., pp24-29, (2008)[Identity of Arocatus on plane trees in UK & Germany.]
Kenis, M., Rabitsch, W., et al., 2007
How can alien species inventories and interception data
help us prevent insect invasions?
Bulletin of Entomological Research, 97, 489-502.
Kofler, A., 2007
Neu fundmeldungen von Wanzen aus Osttirol und Kärtnen(Insecta:Hteroptera).
Beiträge zur Entomofaunistik, 8, pp27-54, (2007).
[Records of ca 185 spp: Ceratocombidae to Saldidae,
Lygaeidae, Piesmidae to Pentatomidae. Colour photosof Arocatus longiceps, Bathysolen nubilus, Liorhyssus
hyalinus, Rhaphogaster nebulosa.

Kott, P., 2007
Emblethis denticollis Hv. (Hemiptera Heteroptera) neu für
NRW.
Heteropteron (Köln, ISSN 1432-3761), 25, p16, (2007)
Polhemus, J.T., Polhemus, D.A., 2007
Global trends in the description of aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera specis, 1758-2004.
Tijdschrift voor entomologie, 150, 2, pp271-288, (2007)[4782 species known globally (Gerromorpha +Nepomorpha + Leptopodomorpha); 51 spp/yr describedcurrently; estimated 100 spp still undescribed.]
Rabitsch, W., 2007
Die wanzenfauna (insecta, Heteroptera) der Heisslanden
im Nationalpark Donau-Auen (Wien, Österreich).
Beiträge zur Entomofaunistik, 8, pp109-131, (2007)[Colour photos of Polymerus asperula, Sciocoris sulcatus,
Atractotomus rhodani. ]..
, 2008
Alien true bugs of Europe (Insecta: Hemiptera:
Heteroptera).
Zootaxa, 1827, 1-44, (2008)..
, 2008The times they are a-changin’: driving forces of recent
additions to the Heteroptera fauna of Austria.
In: Grozeva, S. & Simov, N. (eds), Advances in
Heteroptera Research. Pensoft Publ., Sofia, 309-326,(2008)
Reichholf, J.H., 2008
Einblicke in die biologie der Rotrückigen Irrwischwanze
Alydus calcaratus.
Heteropteron, 26, pp12-14, (2008)[Worm (Mermis) 70mm long from body.]
Ribes, J., Pagola-Carte, S., 2008
Arocatus longiceps Stal, 1872, primera cita para laPeninsula Ibérica (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae).
Ent.Mon.Mag., 42, pp353-354.
[1st Iberian record, Barcelona, 9th Aug 2007, in a house.]
Saulich, A.H., 2007
Four seasons: Diversity of seasonal adaptations andecological mechanisms controlling seasonal development intrue bugs (Heteroptera).
Proc. Biol. Inst.of St Petersburg State University, 53, 25106, (2007)[4-page extended summary, English. Colour changes,
diapause, temperature tolerance, spring activity,
overwintering stage, wing morphs, seasonal adaptations.]
Smit, J.T., Reemer, M., Aukema, B., 2007
Een invasie van de Nieuw-Zeelandsee tarwewants Nysius
huttoni in Nederland (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae).
Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen,27, 51-70, (2007)[English summary, detailed study of distribution & ecology
in NL. Colour photo.Teneral adults June-July & SeptemberOctober 11th.]
Stemmer, M., Günther, H., 2007
Eurydema ventralis (Kolenati, 1846) in Rheinland-Pfalz(Hemiptera:Pentatomidae).
Heteropteron, (Köln, ISSN 1432-3761), 25, 11-14, (2007)[Photos(b&w) of dorsum, ventrum & upperside; 8 refs.]
Vera, F. P., Hoffmann, H-J, 2007
Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910
(Hemiptera,Heteroptera) nun auch in Köln.
Heteropteron, 25, p17-18, (2007)[Coreidae; photo(b&w), 7 refs]
Werner, D.J., 2007
Die verbreitung der braunen randwanze Gonocerus
acuteangulatus (Goeze, 1778) (Heteroptera:Coreidae) in
Deutschland mit angaben zu ihrer biologie.
Mainzer naturwiss. Archiv/Beiheft, 31, pp153-180.
[Map of German distribution, 11pp of detailed records,
ca150 refs.]

20

Het News 12, Autumn 2008

REGIONAL
Alexander, K., 2008a
Globiceps fulvicollis cruciatus Jakovlev (Hemiptera:
Miridae) new to Cornwall and other records.
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21. pp15-16[Mulgram Hill, SW of St Agnes (SW6949, vc1), 1 on
22Aug2007]..
, 2008b[BENHS Annual Exhibition 2007, exhibit]
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21,3, p184, (2008)[Physatocheia smreczynskii (vc3); W Cornwall:Glob. fulv.
cruciatus (vc1), Strongylocoris luridus(vc1)]
Anderson, N., 2007
Dragonflies and other insects.
London Naturalist, 86, pp 133-134 (2007)[Miris, Metatropis, Piezodorus]
Barnett, R.J., 2007
Bristol and district invertebrate report, 2006.
Nature in Avon, Jnl of Bristol Naturalists’ Soc., 66, 47-54,(2007)[8 Het spp including: Eurgaster test., Sciocoris curs.,
Gonocerus acut., Corizus hyo.]
Bowdrey, J.P., 2008
[BENHS Annual Exhibition 2007, exhibit]
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21,3, p184, (2008)[vc19:Aphanus rolandri, Mag.prae.]
Brooke, S.E., 2008
[BENHS Annual Exhibition 2007, exhibit]
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21,3, p184, (2008)[4 waterbug species spreading N]
Denton, J. S., 2007
Holcostethus vernalis (Wolff)(Hem.:Pentatomidae) andBathysolen nubilis (Fallén)(Hem.:Coreidae) in Hampshire.
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 20(4), 269 (2007)[H. vernalis: Lock’s Heath (VC11, SU5006); Hastings(VC14), TQ8210. B. nubilus: Farnborough (VC12,
SU8654).]
Foster, G.N., Huxley, T., 2007
New records of wetland Coleoptera and Heteroptera on theIsle of Man.
Ent.Mon.Mag., 143, 207-212, (2007)[7 additional spp of aquatic hets incl: Microvelia.retic.,
Nepa, Plea, Corix punctata sen. str.]
Halstead, A.J., 2008
[BENHS Annual Exhibition 2007, exhibit]
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21,3,p184 (2007)[vc17: Alydus cal., Coranus sub.]Judd, S., 2006
Lancashire & Cheshire true bug (Het.) report for 2006.
Jnl. of Lancashire & Cheshire Ent. Soc., 130, pp58-59.
Nau, B.S., 2007a
Hidden jewels
Wildlife Action, 41, Summer 2007.
[Introduction to shieldbugs, colour photos of 10 spp.]..
, 2008[BENHS Annual Exhibition 2007, exhibit]
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21,3, 184-185,(2008)[4 red & black spp spreading in Britain: Corhyo, Aroroe,
Pyrapt, Eurorn]
Notton, D.G., 2008
Insects of Mortimer Forest on the Shraopshire/
Herefordshire border.
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21,3, pp187-192, (2008)[vc36: Elagri, Palpra, Ziccae]

BRITISH ISLES
Albertini, M., 2007
[BENHS Annual Exhibition 2006, Exhibit]
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist., 20, pp191, (2007)[Corizus]
Bratton, J.H., Howe, M.A., Howe, E., 2006
The spurge bug Dicranocephalus agilis (Scopoli)(Hemiptera: Stenocephalidae) reaches Anglesey.
Jnl. of Lancashire & Cheshire Ent. Soci., 130, pp39-41,(2006)[Distribution maps for Wales.]Alexander, K., 2008
The land and freshwater bugs (Hemiptera) of Cornwall &the Isles of Scilly.
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Federation of Biological Recorders
publn., No. 2, 155pp, (2008), ISBN 0 9534613 2 7[Heteroptera (303spp) & Homoptera (159spp); all records
listed, giving: 10km square, locality, habitat, date, &recorder. ]Denton, J. S., 2007a
Water bugs and water beetles of Surrey.
Surrey Wildlife Trust publn., A5 hardback book, 191pp,
31pp of colour photos,ISBN 978-0-9556188-0-2.
[Waterbugs plus Dipsocoridae & Saldidae; text & Surrey
distribution map for most of 58 spp.; colour photo of one
species for each genus.]
Drake, C.M., 2008
Invertebrates of acidic seepages on Dartmoor, England.
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 21, pp1-15[7spp from 3 sites: incl. Sigara venusta, Hebrus pusillus,
Heb. ruficeps, Charto. cocksi]
Howe, M.A., Whitehouse, A.T., Knight, G.T. , 2008
Life on the edge — key coastal soft cliffs for invertebrates
in England and Wales.
British Wildlife, 19(3),172-181.
[Saldula arenicola ‘Grade 1’ soft cliff species; Isle of Wight& West Dorset. Enoplops scapha.]
Hunnisett, J., 2007
Dorset Hemiptera-Heteroptera (true bugs) Part 1:
Aradidae(bark bugs) - Stenocephalidae (spurge bugs).
Recording Dorset, publn of Dorset Environmental Records
Centre, 9, pp2-15.
[For each sp. a distribution map for Dorset, local status,
habitat. Old nomenclature & sequence.]
Malumphy, C.P., Reid, S., Eyre, D., 2007
The Platanus lace bug Corythuca ciliata (Say)(Hemiptera:
Tingidae), a Nearctic pest of plane trees , new to Britain.
Brit.J.Ent.Nat.Hist, 20(4), 233-240 (2007).
[Adult & nymph photos, leaf damage & frass; many refs.]
Morris, M.G., Kathirithamby, J., Smith, K.G.V., 2007
Obituary: Professor Sir Richard Southwood DSc, FRS,DL(1931-2005)
Ent.Mon.Mag., 143.241-254[Three contributions plus 10pp of Bibliography]
Ryan, R.P., 2008
Orthotylus caprai Wagner (Hem., Miridae) new to Britain.
Ent.Mon.Mag., 144, 129-130,(2008)[University Parks, Oxford 3rd Aug 2006]
Whitehead, P. F., 2008
Observations on the ecology of Corizus hyoscyami(Linnaeus, 1758) (Hemiptera, Rhopalidae) and the British
influx of 2006.
Ent.Mon.Mag., 144, 163-176, (2008)[Maps of spread, season chart, hosts, record details.]

USEFUL Websites▶ Checklist of the Heteroptera of France:
http://hemiptera.free.fr/liste.html▶ Entomological atlas of the Nantes region (France):
http://aer.nantes.free.fr/▶ Heteroptera photo gallery ‘European bugs’:
www.heteroptera.eu[was: www.koleopterologie.de/heteroptera/ ]▶ Find vice-county for a GB grid.ref, or lat&long:
http://herbariaunited.org/gridrefVC
Het News 12, Autumn 2008

21

BRC RECORDING SCHEMES
Vice County #Vice County nameContact

Contact address

VC 1 & 2

W (inc. Scilly) & ECornwall

Keith Alexanderkeith.alexander@waitrose.com

VC 3 & 4

S & N Devon

Keith Alexanderkeith.alexander@waitrose.com

VC 9

DorsetIan Cross

I.Cross@dorsetcc.gov.uk

VC 10

Isle of Wight

David Biggs

Plum Tree Cottage, 76 Albert Rd,Gurnard, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 8JU

VC 11 & 12

S & N Hampshire

Jonty Denton

JontyDenton@aol.com

VC 13 & 14

W & E Sussex

Peter Hodge

peter.j.hodge@tesco.net

VC 15 & 16

E & W Kent

Eric Philp

eric.philp2@virgin.net

VC 17

SurreyJonty Denton

JontyDenton@aol.com

VC 18 & 19

S & N Essex

Peter Kirby

peter.kirby7@ntlworld.com

VC 20

Hertfordshire

John Widgery

johnwidgery@waitrose.com

VC 23 (& 22pt)

Oxfordshire**

John Campbell

campbell397@btinternet.com

VC 25 & 26

E & W Suffolk (water bugs)

Adrian Chalkley

adrian@boxvalley.co.uk,,

E & W Suffolk (land bugs)

Nigel Cuming

marionnigel@onetel.com

VC 30

Bedfordshire*

Bernard Nau

nauhet@btinternet.com

VC 32

Northamptonshire

Tony Cook

tony.cook@newtonfieldcentre.org.uk

VC 33 & 34

E & W Gloucestershire

John Widgery

johnwidgery@waitrose.com

VC 37

Worcestershire*

John Partridge

records@wbrc.org.uk

VC 53 & 54

S & N Lincolnshire*(shieldbugs & allies)

Annette Binding

allan.binding@ntlworld.com (also spiders)..

..

(other land bugs)

Colin Smith

Csmith@countrywidefarmers.co.uk..

..

(water bugs)

Richard Chaddrichard.chadd@environment-agency.gov.uk

VC 55

Leics & Rutland

David Budworth

dbud01@aol.com

VC 56

Nottinghamshire

David Budworth

dbud01@aol.com

VC 57

Derbyshire

David Budworth

dbud01@aol.com

VC 58

Cheshire

Steve Judd

Steve.Judd@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

VC 59 & 60

S & W Lancashire

Steve Judd

Steve.Judd@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

VC 61 & 62

SE & NE Yorkshire

Stuart Foster

stuart@blackdan6.plus.com

VC 63

SW Yorkshire

Jim Flanagan

jimflanagan@btopenworld.com

VS 64

Mid-W Yorkshire

Stuart Foster

stuart@blackdan6.plus.com

VC 65

NW Yorkshire

Steve Hewitt

SteveH@carlisle-city.gov.uk(—)

Cumbria*

Steve Hewitt

SteveH@carlisle-city.gov.uk

VC 69

Westmorland

Steve Hewitt

SteveH@carlisle-city.gov.uk

VC 70

Cumberland

Steve Hewitt

SteveH@carlisle-city.gov.uk(—)

Ireland (all)Brian Nelson

brian.nelson@magni.org.uk* records from administrative county too. **not Berks admin. county
Recorders listed are either a designated County Recorder, or are willing to accept records on behalf of the county listed here.

FIFE RECORD CENTRE – REQUEST FOR RECORDS
I am responsible for Fife’s biological records centre, Fife Nature. We have recently reorganised& now concentrate solely on collecting & supplying biological records, particularly for theplanning system in Fife. We hope to incorporate as much data as possible into our own
database & make this available to our many users. In particular we hope that Fife Nature canincrease the value of this data by making it more visible to developers & conservationists etc.
We already have a significant number of Heteroptera records for Fife but I am sure that there
are many more out there. I would therefore be very grateful to receive any digital Heteroptera
records you may have.
Simon Scott, Information Officer, Fife Nature Records Centre,
Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Pitcairn Centre, Moidart Drive,
Glenrothes KY7 6ET
e-mail: simon.scott@fife.gov.uk
22

Het News 12, Autumn 2008