Welsh Journals

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THE HETEROPTERA IN WALES G. G. E. SCUDDER (Hope Department of Entomology, Oxford University Museum) THE Heteroptera or bugs are one of the lesser known groups of insects. Representatives of all the families occurring in the British Isles occur in Wales and of the 503 species known to inhabit these Islands at the time of writing, 326 have been recorded in Wales. The counties that need particular attention are Flint and Radnor, and to a lesser extent Denbigh, Montgomery, Cardigan and Brecknock, and there are still many common species unrecorded from the relatively well worked areas. Readers interested in these county records should consult the references at the end of this paper. Wales with its wide range of habitats is substantially a collector's paradise. Sand-dunes, marsh, meadow and mountain can often be found within a few miles, as around Borth in Cardiganshire. Nevertheless its geographical position and mountainous nature restricts the number of more southern species in its fauna. The records suggest that shield-bugs (Pentatomidae) are not very common in Wales although this apparent scarcity may be due to lack of collectors. Many predacious species are recorded, some by Lepidopterists who have found caterpillars impaled on the rostrum of these bugs. The most convenient way to obtain most members of this family is by beating trees and shrubs in the spring and autumn. Some however, such as Sciocoris cursitans (F.), Neottiglossa pusilla (Gmel.) and Podops inuncta (F.) have to be searched for in dry situations at the roots of plants, especially grasses. Some ground dwellers may be obtained by sweeping and Aelia acuminata (L.) is obtained in this way on dunes. Woodlands, hedgerows and dunes are the most profitable habitats to search. The occurrence of Stollia aenea (Scop.) in Cardiganshire is of particular interest as it is only known elsewhere in the British Isles from Bedford, Kent, Sussex and Hants. The Cydnidae, which are to a large extent fossorial, are found by sweeping and searching but few have been recorded in Wales. Two Acanthosomidae are common, Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale (L.) on Hawthorn (Crataegus) and Birch (Betula) and Elasmostethus interstinctus (L.) on Birch. On the same plant I have found Elas- mucha grisea (L.) in Cardiganshire, apparently the first record for Wales. This interesting species protects its young until they disperse from the egg batches. The very rare species Elasmucha ferrugata (F.) is recorded from Caernarvonshire, Yorks and Derby. Its food plant is said to be Bilberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus L.) so a search of this plant on the mountains may well prove profitable.