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Miris striatus: the fine streaked bugkin

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Miris striatus: the fine streaked bugkin

Getting a close up extension for my camera was one of the most significant moments in my natural history involvement. From an interest in only 'large' creatures, mainly birds, the beauty of a fascinating world of much smaller animals emerged. This photograph of a mirid bug (Miris striatus) is a testament to that.

At less than half an inch long the mirid bug is rarely noticed as it prowls oak trees and hawthorn bushes looking for aphids for lunch. If you choose to look you can find them from May until July in woodland and hedgerows across Dorset but nationally they are quite localised and not spread widely across the country as a whole. Being so small they just look yellowish to the naked eye but under a close up lens their attractive yellow and black markings are revealed. In contrast they have red legs and in some individuals there is more orange in the wing cases than yellow.

When you 'google' mirid stratus you find that this has been given the common name in some quarters of the fine streaked bugkin. I do not think that will catch on somehow!



This is just my nature note: for lots more information including distribution maps, status charts, identification guidance and more photographs go to the species home page by clicking/tapping the icon