Tag Archives: bug nymphs

Cymus glandicolor nymphs

13 Monday Jul 2026

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Back in May 2024 I wrote about my difficulties in identifying a New bug: Cymus glandicolor.

In the intervening two years, I’ve rechecked the seed heads of other Pendulous sedge plants, and the same plant on which I first found this bug, many times but have never seen other populations or, indeed, any single specimens of this ground bug, until a week or so ago.

On the same plant where I first spotted them, I located lots of these Cymus glandicolor nymphs. As they are about the same size as the sedge seeds and a very similar colour, they are almost inconspicuous but, after I’d noticed the first one, I soon realised they were quite numerous, just difficult to pick out.

While handling the seed heads, one of the little nymphs climbed on to my hand, giving me the opportunity for an even closer look at it. At about 3mm in length, they really are quite tiny, and easily overlooked, which is presumably why there are not a lot of records of this species on iRecord, though the British Bugs website states they are widespread in England and Wales.

Bug: Harpocera thoracica

22 Wednesday Apr 2026

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My local park railings have produced the goods yet again, this time in the form of three nymphs of the same bug, Harpocera thoracica. I found that a little surprising but a bug expert on social media pointed out that these nymphs can usually be found just as the leaves of Oak trees are uncurling, and the tiny nymphs are so light they get blown out of the trees by strong winds.

There are Oak trees growing next to my park railings, and the day before I found these, it had been blowing a hoolie, so the scenario fitted perfectly. And the nymphs are tiny; that’s one of my fingers in the shot below. I was trying to stop the little creature scurrying over the edge of the railing before I got a picture.

I’ve only seen an adult Harpocera thoracica once. I included a photo of it in a blog a few years ago (Gone insecting, June 2021), but I thought I’d include that photo again here. As you can see, they look totally different to the nymphs. And now I’m motivated to spend some time leaf-fossicking in local Oak trees to see if I can find any more.