COCKROACHES AND Common or Black MANTIDS Walla "rimlatis ORDER Females are squat, blackish, about 25mm long, with greatly reduced wings. Males are are broad, flattened, robust similar in size, but are browner, with longer , with long antennae. The broad pro• wings, although they are still flightless. The notum covers the thorax and most of the egg-case is white, darkening to black, and head. Hindwings leathery, usually shorter in the female carries it for the first few days. the female than the male. The mantids are Nocturnal. closely related, but look rather different, Habitat Native to tropical Asia or Africa, with slender bodies, a long neck, and but now widespread in houses, bakeries, enlarged front legs. They are highly preda• and anywhere warm but dirty. tory, and females often eat the males dur• Status and distribution Common in ing copulation. The eggs are laid in frothy suitable places throughout. masses which harden, and may often be Season At any time, depending on the Australian Cockroach found when the adults are no longer visible. warmth of the habitat. Similar species Cockroaches Blatella germanica is Suborder paler and more slender, fully winged and able to , though rarely does so. Similar Several tropical species have become well habitats and distribution. established in N in houses and other buildings, as pests. There are also Tawny Cockroach several native species, which have no asso• J-:cI,,/Jilis fil111idlls ciation with man. One of the native cockroaches, which are much smaller than the introduced species. Australian Cockroach This species reaches IOmm in length, is Peri/Jlallcla alislralasil1c fully winged in both of the sexes, and can A large, highly active , up to 40mm fly in warm weather. It is basically pale long, with long antennae. Brown, with yel• brown, with the pronotal disc edged with low markings on the wings, and a distinct yellow. yellow margin to the pronotum. Nocturnal Habitat In rough grassland, woods and in habits, fleeing rapidly from light. heaths. Habitat Usually confined to warm build• Status and distribution Widespread, ings, occasionally outside. local and more southern in the UK, and Status and distribution Widespread in throughout the Continent. suitable places throughout. Probably origi• Season 4-10. nally native to Africa, despite its name. Similar species Season Variable, depending on tempera• Dusky Cockroach E. lapponicus. The fe• ture regime. males are flightless, and both sexes are Similar species more slender. In similar habitats. American Cockroach P. americana is lesser Cockroach E. panzeri is smaller usually slightly larger, up to 45mm. The yel• (less than 9mm long) and variable in colour low markings on pronotum and wings are but usually speckled. Males can fly, and barely visible. Probably also African in ori• have narrow forewings; females are flight• gin, but now very widespread in similar less, squat, almost bug-like. Local and places to the Australian Cockroach. mainly coastal in the UK.

82 DICTYOPTERA Mantids Subarder Mantodea ORDER DERMAPTERA

A southern, warmth-loving group of Slender, flattened cylindrical insects, with insects, of which only one representative pincer-like cerci, usually markedly curved I reaches N Europe. in males. Some species are wholly wingless, others have much-reduced forewings and * Praying very thin hindwings. The winged species r Mall/is rel(f;i()sa can fly, but rarely do. Generally nocturnal. A predominantly green species (rarely There are over 30 species in Europe. ...•... ".'f'! bmwn), long and slender - up to 60mm long excluding antennae - yet surprisingly Common " inconspicuous. Both sexes are winged and (()rficula auricularia can fly, but the male is more slender. The only earwig that is commonly seen. It Habitat Prefers rough grassy places and is 10-13mm long, shiny brown, with scrub. reduced forewings (elytra), and hindwings Status and distribution Throughout that project fmm below the elytra. The southern Europe, reaching northwards to male pincers are broad and flat at their the latitude of N France. base. Young are like miniature adults, and Season 7-1 I. The frothy egg-cases may the female guards them until they disperse. persist over winter, and indicate where Habitat In many habitats, wherever adults may be found. there is sufficient food, and some humid hiding places. Status and distribution Very common STICK INSECTS throughout. ORDER PHASMIDA Season Mainly summer, but may be seen A predominantly tropical group, number• in almost any month as the adults hibernate. ing thousands of species, but only just reaching into S Europe. One species, described below, is frequently kept in homes and laboratories, and occasionally naturalizes. These are well-camouflaged, slender insects, with stick-like bodies and tJf short to medium-length antennae. pincers of lesser Earwig laboratory Sticl

84 DICTYQPTERA· PHASM!DA DERMAPTERA PSOCIDS OR BOOK-LICE they usually only consist of a few segments ORDER PSOCOPTERA which are clearly visible. Ther'e are gener• ally 2 pairs of wings, with the forewings Tiny soft-bodied insects (not true lice), modified by hardening to a greater or lesser which live on plants or dried cellulose• degr'ce, though some species are wingless. based materials, Some are wingless, others The Hemipter-a are divided into two winged; these hold their wings over- the major- groups on the basis of their wing body in a mof-like structure, resembling characteristics, and some authors give each aphids, but distinguishable fmm them by the status of a separate order. The Het• their longer antennae, Numerous species eropteran Bugs have the forewings occur, with more yet to be descr-ibed, Only clearly divided into two separate areas - a the book- is at all familiar, through the tough, leathery basal ar'ea, and a membra• damage it causes. nous tip. The hindwings are always mem• branous, and both pairs are folded flat over Book-louse the body at rest. The heteropterans also TnJp)lflll!ni!sd!(Jrilt1ll have their rostrum arising from the front One of several similar species that occur in of the head, and the antennae never have books, stored paper, and food. They are more than 5 segments. The scutellum, wingless, about 2mm long, with antennae which is part of the thorax, is often pro• almost as long as the body. They eat the longed backwards as a triangle, occasion• paste from the binding of books, eventually ally covering the whole body. causing considerable damage. Habitat Old books, paper, stored food, insect collections and so on. Status and distribution Very common wherever there are Hawthorn Shield bug suitable conditions, throughout. SHIELD BUGS The following bugs on Season All year Heteropteran Bugs indoors. Suborder pages 87-91, from several families, are known collectively as shieldbugs because of Heteropteran bug Homopteran bug their shield-like shape, Most hibernate as Common Flat-bug adults, llradus defJressus Homopteran Bugs have forewings A small flat bug, about 6-8mm long, with a Hawthorn Shieldbug that are of the same texture throughout, Acallthosoma haemorrhoidale very narrow 'neck' just behind the head, whether membranous or leathery, and Book-louse Thorax dark brown, abdomen reddish. A large bug, about 15-17 mm long when they are commonly held roof-wise over adult, typically triangular in shape, Essen• the body rather than flat. The antennae The body shape is adapted for feeding under bark, living mainly on fungi. tially green in colou~cEut with a broad tri• have at least 4 segments, sometimes many TRUE BUGS Habitat Under bark of deciduous , angle of red on the back~ ORDER more. All homopterans are vegetarian, and Habitat Most common on the leaves and on stumps, and among leaf litter. many are slow-moving, passive species; in Status and distribution Widespread fruits of Hawthorn, though also on other A huge family of insects, covering a wide contrast, some heteropterans are deciduous trees. and frequent in the south, absent from fur• range of forms, but generally having the feeders, and may be highly mobile. ther north, Status and distribution A southern shared characteristic of mouthparts modi• All bugs pass through nymphal stages, Season Adults visible all year. species, common in England and over most fied into a beak (rostrum), with which they and there is no pupal stage. The young may Similar species of the Continent, but absent further to the suck their food from plants or . This resemble the adults, though in many cases Pine Flat-bug A. cinnamomeus is more north. is usually held horizontally under the body they are quite unlike them, Season Adult most of the year, most fre• when not in use. The antennae vary fmm There are about 1,700 species in Britain, orange-coloured, with narrow forewings. Occurs mainly under the bark of conifers. quently seen in spring and autumn. short to quite long, but even when long, and 4,000 or more in N Europe. Absent from the north. 86 PSOCOPTERA· HEMIPTERA PSOCOPTERA • HEMIPTERA 87 Parent Bug Habitat Mainly dry grassland, occasion• fJasl11/1cha Krisea ally open woodland. A small shieldbug, less than IOmm long, Status and distribution A southern greyish-brown tinged with orange. The species, absent from northern areas. female guards the eggs and newly hatched Season 5-9. young against predators and parasites • hence the name. Blue Bug Habitat Most frequent on Birch, but also ZicnJllia caeru/ea on other deciduous trees. About 8-1 Omm long, dal-k metallic blue or Status and distribution Widespread green in colour. Mainly carnivorous, and moderately common throughout, attacking larvae and young insects. though easily overlooked. Habitat On dry, usually calcareous or Season Most visible 5-9, but adults are sandy soils, in grassy places. around all year. Status and distribution Widespread Similar species and moderately common in the south, Birch Shield bug Elasmostethus interstinc• absent from Scotland and the far north of tus is larger, green and red with yellow on Europe. the wings, and common on Birch. Season Most of the year.

Pied Shield bug Eysarcoris (ahricii Sehirus hic%r An undistinguished medium-sized bug, A medium-sized bug, about IOmm long, about 8-1 Omm long, greenish-grey marked very distinctive with its black head and with brown (though variable in colour), scutellum, and piebald wings. The overall heavily dotted. body shape is more oval than triangular. Habitat Woodland edges and scrub, on Habitat Rough herbage, hedgerows and Hedge Woundwort and other Labiates. woodland edges, mainly on White Dead Status and distribution Common in Nettle and Black Horehound. the south, rare or absent in the north. Status and distribution A southern Season Most noticeable in spring and species, moderately common in England, autumn. but absent from Scotland and N Scandi• navia. Bishop's Mitre Season Adult all year, hibernating in cold Ac/ia acul11illata weather. A narrowly oval brown bug, about 9mm Similar species long, with short brown wings. The body S. dubius is a similar shape, but metallic and wings are often lightly striped with yel• bluish-black all over. Similar habitats and low. distribution. Habitat Rough dry grassland, and occa• sionally in cereal fields (where it may attack Negro Bug the grain, in southern areas). Thyrcocoris scarahaeoides Status and distribution A southern A small bug, about 6mm long, roughly oval• species, frequent in 5 England, rare else• rectangular in shape. As the name suggests, where in the UK; widespread on the Con• it is black in colour, and the enlarged tinent. scutellum covers most of the body. Season All year.

88 HEMIPTERA * Graphosoma ita/icum Green Shieldbug A large, conspicuous shieldbug, up to Pa/omena prasina 12mm long. Whole body boldly marked Probably the archetypal shieldbug, dis• with red and black stripes, legs red or tinctly shield-shaped, about 12-14mm black. Its conspicuous colours warn of its long. Predominantly green, apart from the unpleasant taste, and it tends to sit in the membranous section of the wings, but open more than other bugs. becomes bronzey-red in autumn before Habitat Many types of dry grassland, hibernating, re-emerging bright green in scrub, and woodland edges. spring. The young nymphs are more Status and distribution Widespread rounded. on the Continent, except in the north; Habitat Trees and shrubs, especially absent from the UK. Hazel. Season Most visible S-I O. Status and distribution Widespread and common almost throughout, except in Forest Bug N Britain. ru(ipes Season 4-1 I. (f,'ophosoma itaIicum k.Picromerus bidens, mating A large shield bug, about ISmm long, with ~ square pointed shoulders (see illustration Gorse Shieldbug below) and a short broad pronotum. Piezodorus /ituratus Ground colour brownish, edged with yel• A typical shieldbug in shape, and about low or brown, with a spot at the base of 10mm long. Varies in colour, but tends to •• .,...... t"J, the pronotum. be yellowish-green in spring, becoming Habitat Woodland, scrub and orchards, darker later; young adults have a reddish .... on various deciduous trees. tinge, especially on the wings, from their '"}r ".. Status and distribution Widespread emergence until hibernation time. and frequent throughout. Habitat Most frequent on Gorse, less Season 6-10. often on Broom and other shrubby legumes. Status and distribution Widespread, but local and commoner in the south of the area . Season 4-10. Similar species Sloe Bug Dolycoris baccarum is similar in shape and size, but more yellowish-brown ~APicromerus bidens Forest Bug in colour, tinged with red, and distinctly hairy. Common on Sloe, Plums and other Similar species related trees, throughout. Picromerus bidens is similar, but with very pointed shoulders to the pronotum (see illustration above). Wid~spread and com• mon throughout.

90 HEMIPTERA