32
The Essex Naturalist
Essex Wildlife Trust who was moving paving stones above a badger sett in
Prittlewell, Southend, last October.
Full details of all the Essex Orthoptera will be found in the forthcoming
publication.
New and interesting records of Essex Hemiptera
P Kirby
21 Grafton Avenue, Netherton, Peterborough PE3 9PD
This report summarises the more interesting records since 1990. Species are
listed in alphabetical order.
Berytinus hirticornis (Brulle) (Berytidae). Shoebury Old Ranges, TL9284,
captured in pitfall traps on several dates between 24th June and 24th August
1992; coll. R G Payne, det. P Kirby. This is a Nationally Scarce species. It has
been increasing in the south-east of England in recent decades, but records are
still rather widely scattered.
Brachysteles parvicornis (Costa) (Anthocoridae). Shoebury Old Ranges,
TL9284, in a pitfall trap operated from 24th June to 10th July 1992; coll. R G
Payne, det. P Kirby. New to Essex. This is a very local species usually found in
small colonies in tussocks of grassy vegetation, often in areas of low or sparse
vegetation, where it feeds on Oribatid mites. It is easily overlooked.
Drymus ryei Douglas & Scott (Lygaeidae). City of London Cemetery,
TQ424865, in a pitfall trap operated in May 1994; coll. C W Plant, det. P Kirby.
Seemingly the first recent record for this rather local ground-dwelling species.
Eurydema oleracea (L.) (Pentatomidae). Mill Wood Pit, TQ5978, 12th August
1994; coll. P R Harvey, det. P Kirby. This brightly-coloured shieldbug is very
local nationally. It seems to be quite well established on the outer fringes of
London, where it is usually found on horseradish Armoracia rusticana growing on
waste ground, neglected allotments and verges, but this is the first record I have
seen from further east.
Megalonotus chiragra (Fab.), M. emarginatus (Rey) (Lygaeidae). A recent
paper (Aukema & Nau 1992) describes the occurrence of these two species in
Britain; previously they were both confused under M. chiragra. Both species are
rather uncommon nationally. Aukema &. Nau list one Essex record for M.
emarginatus (Great Braxted, 1945). Re-examination of recent specimens
previously identified as M. chiragra shows both species to occur in the county,
neither apparently especially rare. There are several recent records of M. chiragra
from post-industrial sites within London (Limmo Peninsula TQ391811,