Thread subject: Diptera.info :: ID please

Posted by Brian Flint on 10-10-2009 20:23
#1

In my garden. This insect is about 5mm long.

Cambridgeshire UK - October

Posted by Juergen Peters on 10-10-2009 21:42
#2

Hi, Brian!

Kleidocerys cf. resedae, a ground bug (Hemiptera, Lygaeidae).

Posted by lagura on 11-10-2009 01:29
#3

Without the cf.
This is indeed the Birch Catkin Bug K. resedae.

Posted by Juergen Peters on 11-10-2009 02:21
#4

Hi, Lars!

lagura wrote:
Without the cf.
This is indeed the Birch Catkin Bug K. resedae.


I don't know about Britain, but here in central europe there is a much rarer, but morphologically not distinguishable species, K. privignus, which prefers breeding on Alnus glutinosa instead of Betula. Therefore I did write the 'cf.'. The taxonomic status of this species is not acknowledged by all entomologists however, if I remember correctly.

Posted by lagura on 11-10-2009 13:36
#5

Hi Juergen,

I had not heard of K. privignus before (only K. resedae and the rarer K. ericae). In this case I agree it's perhaps wise to leave the cf. in.
I don't know about Britain either, but on the British Bugs site only K. resedae and K. ericae are listed.

Posted by Brian Flint on 11-10-2009 16:10
#6

Interesting. Thanks for your reply.

Brian