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THE ESSEX NATURALIST
Lygus contaminatus (Fallen), L. pratensis (Linne) (the Tarnished Plant
Bug, so frequently a pest on fruit trees and other crops), Rhopalotomus ater
(L.), Stenodema laevigatum (L.), Trigonotylus ruficornis (Geoffroy), Lepto-
terna ferrugata (Fall.), L, dolabrata (L.) (the females of these two large species
are brachypterous, i.e. have reduced wings), Capsus meriopterus Scopoli
(a curious bronzy species with a flattened ensiform first antennal joint),
Malacocoris chlorizans Panzer, Hoplomachus thunbergii Fall.
SALDIDAE
These bugs are predaceous leaping forms which live around high-tide
mark on the salt mud. They are of considerable interest morphologically
since they are amongst the most primitive of the Heteroptera. Two species
were common :
Salda littoralis (L.) (a larger, dull black form), and Saldula pallipes
(Fabricius) a smaller, lighter form.
An afternoon collecting with a sweeping net in green lanes near Harlow
on 1 August 1950, produced a rather different set of species :
NABIDAE
Nabis limbatus Dahlbom.
The Nabidae are fairly large predaceous forms which have raptorial
forelegs, that is, similar to those of the Praying Mantis, the tibia folding back
on the femur like a jack-knife. These forelegs are used for the capture of
prey.
ANTHOCORIDAE
These are small predaceous forms, sometimes known to bite human beings.
Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabr.), A. nemorum (L.), Orius minutus (L.).
MIRIDAE (CAPSIDAE)
Calocoris norvegicus Gmelin, C. fulvomaculatus (Degeer), Phytocoris ulmi
(L.), Lygus pratensis (L.), Licoris tripustulatus (Fabr.).
My specimens of the brown and yellow spotted Capsid, L. tripustulatus, fall
into two colour groups. One group, taken in May, is a tawny brown with
orange yellow markings ; the other, probably a second generation, taken
in August, is olive brown with pale lemon markings. This could be due
to a seasonal colour change such as occurs in some Lepidoptera, though I
am not aware of its having been seen in the Heteroptera before.
Leptoterna dolabrata (L.), Stenotus binotatus (Fabr.), Dicyphus epilobii
Reuter (a very small delicate form), Orthotylus bilineatus (Fall.), O. ochro-
trichus Fieb., Malacocoris chlorizans (Panz.), Psallus vitellinus (Scholtz),
Oncotylus viridiflavus (Goeze).
In Epping Forest in water-filled bomb craters on 7 August 1950 I found
two species of Saldidae : Saldula pallipes (Fabr.), Saldula saltatoria (L.).
Conostethus salinus Sahlberg was also taken in the Forest and I am
indebted to another member for a number of nymphs of Ischnodemus sabu-
letii (Fall.) which I understand were found among reeds in the Forest.
This is not a common species and it is interesting to have a record of it in
this area.
In my own back garden in Leyton I have taken several species:
REDUVIIDAE (EMESINAE)
Empicoris culiciformis (Deg.). This small species is predaceous, and has
raptorial forelegs like those of a nabid, to which group it is closely related.
It is, however, extremely delicate in structure resembling a chironomid
(Diptera) in its very long slender legs and narrow body.
ANTHOCORIDAE
Anthocoris nemorum (L.), Orius niger (Wolff), O. minutus (L.).