The two ladybird species (Arboreal ladybird and Kidney-spot ladybird) I’ve already blogged about weren’t the only new insects I happened to find at the end of last year. Common flower bug may be its common name but, apart from a tiny red nymph I spotted last summer (pictured here with an aphid, which will give you an idea of how tiny it really was), I’d never seen an adult Anthocoris nemorum until mid December.

The British Bugs website cautions that this is a difficult genus of bugs to identify so, if possible, you need to get clear images of the various key features: reflective forewings, entirely black pronotum, mostly orange-brown legs, etc. Fortunately for me, my little bug didn’t scurry away too quickly, and my photographs were enough to get a positive identification from the national recorder. The adult Anthocoris nemorum bugs can be seen all year round so I’ve been on the look out for more but, given our current chilly weather, I think they’re probably hiding away in the undergrowth, trying not to freeze.