Small bug for ID please

[SteveF48]

This bug was on a nettle leaf, on 12th July. I reckon it's about 6-8mm long.

[asheleaf]

thats an ant damsel bug nymph. Himacerus mirmicoides (sp?) Seems to be a lot of them about at the moment. Well done for spotting it.

Ashe

[Gerel]

I think it's the nymph of a mirid bug, looks similar to Miris striatus but I wouldn't put any money on that.

[SteveF48]

Oh, I thought that it was a fully grown Myrmecoris gracilis, as it's very similarly marked to the photograph in Collins Complete British Insects. Here's another image of it:

[Acutipuerilis]

Certainly a Himacerus - they do seem to be very close to Myrmecoris, but that is a very scarce species only found on a few heaths, and associated with ants. I've never seen it (or even a photo!) but it's supposed to be quite distinctly different.

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by Acutipuerilis

Certainly a Himacerus - they do seem to be very close to Myrmecoris, but that is a very scarce species only found on a few heaths, and associated with ants. I've never seen it (or even a photo!) but it's supposed to be quite distinctly different.

Its different to the adult pics of Myrmecoris that google is coming up with. No idea what the nymph of that one is. Looks spot on H. mirmicoides to me but then Joe knows more about bug sthan i do!

hope you sort it out

Ashe

[tristanba]

The image captioned Myrmecoris gracilis in Chinery's 'Complete Britsh Insects' in fact shows a Himacerus mirmicoides nymph, hence your (and many others) mistake. There is a photo of Myrmecoris on wikipedia
File:Myrmecoris gracilis3.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

There is another unforgivable error in this book; the photo captioned Coranus subapterus actually shows a Himacerus species!

[SteveF48]

I think that Ashe is right, it is a Himacerus mirmicoides nymph.
Thanks to everyone for their input, I really need more insect reference books (but don't tell my wife)

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by tristanba

error in this book

Heh, thanks for that! So is it just the names that need changing or is the text wrong as well?

Have you told Chinery??

[Acutipuerilis]

Thanks for the link to the photo, Tristan - good to see what it really looks like!

Well done on spotting the Coranus error too - I confess I'd missed that one.