@yvonnecouch.bsky.social
I'm the Essex county VC18 and VC19 Coccinellidae and Heteroptera recorder. I especially love the juvenile stages.
Sciocoris sideritidis has spread from its known site in Purfleet, Essex, half a mile to the wildlife garden and car park of RSPB Rainham Marshes TQ5478. I found 3 specimens here on 2 October. #Shieldbugs @britishbugs.bsky.social @rockwolf74.bsky.social
Stiltbug Metatropis rufescens from Enchanters Nightshade in south Essex yesterday. 3 adults and 2 nymphs. #Berytidae #heteroptera
Sciocoris homalonotus from South Essex TQ607973 on 3rd August (found by R. Legg), awaiting verification on iRecord. @britishbugs.bsky.social @rockwolf74.bsky.social #shieldbugs
The heathland specialyst bug Alydus calcaratus from the Heath area of Galleywood Common in Essex on 30 July.
I was surprised to find Beosus maritimus in streamside vegetation in SE Essex on 12 July. #Lygaeidae
An interesting Lacehopper, Reptalus quinquecostatus (aka Oliarus panzeri) from Essex yesterday. 5 keels on the scutellum and vertex broader than long. #Cixiidae
I was recording at Belhus Woods Country Park, SE Essex, yesterday when I found the Lygaeid bug Oxycarenus modestus and its nymph, and also the Cixiidae Lacehopper Oliarus panzeri (now known as Reptalus quinquecostatus). I have added a photo of the lacehopper's vertex, important for i.d. to species.
Some finds from an excessively hot site in SE Essex yesterday. Rhabdomiris striatellus, Phylus melanocephalus and Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus. #Miridae #Heteroptera
A week or so ago we had the amazing privilege of watching a Mottled Shieldbug (Rhaphigaster nebulosa) laying eggs on, of all things, the landing window providing a most unusual view! The eggs are developing nicely and hopefully we will be able to see the 1st instars soon. @rockwolf74.bsky.social
The sun brought out the insects at RSPB Rainham Marshes this morning. A Green Hairstreak posed for me. Brassica and Hairy Shieldbugs were mating. #Shieldbugs #butterflies
I was in an ancient woodland yesterday (White Posts Wood, Essex, TQ5682) when I found the Hazel Leaf-roller Apoderus coryli and Dendroxena quadrimaculata. Nice beetles I haven't seen in ages.
A couple of nice finds recently. The nymph of the Reedmace Bug Chilacis typhae, from Rainham Village, Essex, and the intermediate annulata form of the 2-Spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata, from RSPB Rainham Marshes.
The recent warm sunny weather brought out the insects, and in Rainham Riverside I found a Larch Ladybird, the Lygaeid bug Oxycarenus modestus, dozens of Mottled Shieldbugs, and over ten 2-Spot Ladybirds. #Ladybirds #Lygaeidae #Shieldbugs
Once again checking under the bark of plane trees, I found Arocatus longiceps, Rhyparochromus vulgaris and Raglius alboacuminatus, plus some ladybirds (bus 103 from Rainham to Romford, Essex, get off whenever spotting a Plane Tree). #Lygaeidae
Checking under the peeling bark of a Plane tree in Belhus Woods Country Park, SE Essex, today, I found Arocatus longiceps, Cardiastethus fasciiventris and Deraeocoris lutescens passing the winter under cover.
A 7-Spot and a Harlequin Ladybird huddled together in freezing temperatures in SE Essex today.
My last finds for 2025. A group of Firebugs Pyrrhocoris apterus on the trunk of a lime tree in SE Essex today.
A few finds from sieving leaf litter today. A 10 Spot Ladybird, a Brassica Shieldbug and some 16 Spot Ladybirds. I also found some groundbugs that are waiting for identification.
By checking the antennal colours of the Hairy Shieldbugs Dolycoris baccarum I found at RSPB Rainham Marshes yesterday, I found a Vernal Shieldbug Peribalus strictus. The former has black and white banded antennae, while the latter has obvious orange on antennal segments 1 and 2.
I found some super ladybirds recently; the tiny Dot Ladybird Stethorus pusillus from Belhus Woods Country Park TQ5682 on the 16th September, and the Scarce 7-Spot Coccinella magnifica from Little Haven TQ8189 on the 19th.
Two Lygaeid bugs, Arocatus roeselii and Oxycarenus modestus, tapped from Alder in Alphamstone, Essex TL8835 yesterday. Relatively recent arrivals from the continent.
Had an amazing day with some amazingly knowledgeable people on my first #EssexFieldClub outing lovely to meet @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social & especially @yvonnecouch.bsky.social who was very kind to me & gave me 16 spot & Angle-spotted ladybird life ✅ plus lots of other knowledge & great location
A colleague found this tiny lacebug, Acalypta parvula, in moss during an Essex Field Club trip to Danbury Common, Essex, on 9 August, and passed it to me to identify and record. TL7803.
The Ant Nest Ladybird Platynaspis luteolubra larva I swept in Essex on 5th July has since pupated and hatched.
A Platynaspis luteolubra (Ant nest Ladybird) larva I swept in Essex on Saturday.
While in Kent I went to Dungeness to look for Geotomus petiti. I found one which I think has been dead a while and has lost most of its hairs. I also found a bonus Odonotoscelis lineola and Arencoris falleni. TR067199. All will be iRecorded.
I went to Samphire Ho on 22 June to look for Coptosoma scutellatum and was lucky enough to find one, swept from Restharrow and other vetches, TR29073907.
A couple of lovely nymphs from Tyler's Wood in Essex on 22 May: Grypocoris stysi (its everywhere at the moment) and Deraeocoris olivaceous.
Some beetles from the last couple of days: Dendroxena quadrimaculata from Belhus Woods Country Park, and Phytoecia cylindrica from RSPB Rainham Marshes.
