The Cairngorms Up-Close: Gallery
[CAIRNGORMS UP-CLOSE] [DEEPGREEN.EARTH]
Group: PLANT BUGS
Apolygus spinolae
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 3 August 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Apolygus spinolae can be found on a range of plants including bramble, raspberry, creeping thistle, meadowsweet, nettle, and bog-myrtle. They are more commonly encountered in the south of Great Britain than in the north.
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Asciodema obsoleta
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 28 July 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Asciodema obsoleta can be found on gorse and broom in most corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 28 July to 10 August (14 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2023, 2024 (2)
Atractotomus magnicornis
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 1 August 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Atractotomus magnicornis can be found on spruces in scattered areas of Great Britain. They appear to be more abundant in the south than in the north.
Editor's note: The identification here is based, in part, on the insect being found on spruce.
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Black-kneed capsid (Blepharidopterus angulatus)
Where and when encountered: Anagach Woods on 29 August 2024
About: Black-kneed capsids can be found across most of Great Britain. They are associated with a variety of deciduous trees – including birch, alder, apple, lime, and ash – and are partly predatory.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 29 July to 5 October (69 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 (4)
Calocoris roseomaculatus
Where and when encountered: Highland Folk Museum on 19 August 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Calocoris roseomaculatus are associated with dry grasslands, where they feed on legumes such as bird's-foot trefoil and kidney vetch. They can be found from the far north to the far south of Great Britain.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Camptozygum aequale
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 6 August 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Camptozygum aequale live on conifers, including Scots pine, and can be found in various corners of Great Britain.
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Campyloneura virgula
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 30 August 2024
About: Insects belonging to this species can be found throughout much of Great Britain. They are encountered on a range of trees, especially hazel, hawthorns, and oaks, but others including ash and limes. The rarity of males has led to speculation that the species might reproduce parthenogenetically.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 4 August to 8 September (36 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 (4)
Capsus ater
Where and when encountered: Insh Marshes on 29 June 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Capsus ater can be found on grasses in most corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 24 to 29 June (6 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2025 (2)
Potato capsid (Closterotomus norwegicus)
Where and when encountered: Castle Roy (Nethy Bridge) on 30 June 2025
About: Potato capsids have a distribution in Great Britain ranging from the far south to the far north, with principal habitats including meadows and hedgerows. Food-plants include nettle and clover, as well as composites such as oxeye daisy.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Dicyphus globulifer
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 18 May 2024
About: Plant bugs of this species can be found on red and white campions in many corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 1 May to 30 June (61 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Dicyphus pallicornis
Where and when encountered: Balliefurth Wood on 20 June 2022
About: Plant bugs of this species can be found on foxgloves up and down the length of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 11 April to 26 September (169 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Dicyphus stachydis
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 23 May 2025
About: Plant bugs of this species can be found on hedge woundwort in many corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 23 May to 4 November (166 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 21 May 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus are associated with oak trees. They may be encountered in many corners of Great Britain, although records are markedly fewer in number from Scotland than elsewhere.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Grypocoris stysi
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 21 June 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Grypocoris stysi are especially associated with nettle but may also be found on umbellifers such as hogweed. Both the adults and the nymphs feed on plant juices as well as aphids and other small invertebrates. They can be found throughout most of Great Britain, but they are less commonly encountered in the far north than elsewhere.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Heterocordylus tibialis
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 23 May 2025
About: These bugs are among a relatively large number of species of insect who live or feed on common broom. Like their host-plant, they can be found from the far north to the far south of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 23 May to 6 July (45 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2025 (2)
Meadow plant bug (Leptopterna dolabrata)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 21 June 2025
About: Meadow plant bugs can be found in grassy habitats, especially damper ones, throughout Great Britain. They are associated with various species, including cock's-foot and Yorkshire-fog.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 21 June to 25 July (35 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2024, 2025 (2)
Liocoris tripustulatus
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 7 September 2022
About: Plant bugs in the species Liocoris tripustulatus can be found throughout Great Britain. They are strongly associated with common nettle as a host-plant.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 24 May to 11 September (111 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 (5)
Common green capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 12 August 2025
About: Common green capsids can be found across much of Great Britain on a range of plants, including bramble, hogweed, nettles, oxeye daisy, raspberry, and wild angelica.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 1 August to 8 September (39 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2021, 2024, 2025 (3)
Lygocoris rugicollis
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 2 June 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Lygocoris rugicollis are most often encountered on the foliage of willows. They can be found from the far north to the far south of Great Britain.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Lygus punctatus
Where and when encountered: Garlyne Moss on 11 May 2024
About: Lygus punctatus is a plant bug with a Great British distribution strongly centred on the Scottish Highlands. An association with juniper has been noted.
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Lygus wagneri
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 16 September 2025
About: Lygus wagneri is a plant bug with a Great British distribution skewed to the uplands but expanding into the lowlands.
Editor's note: I am pretty confident of the species identification of this insect.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 16 September to 12 October (27 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Neolygus contaminatus
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 4 August 2023
About: Plant bugs in the species Neolygus contaminatus are widespread across Great Britain. They are associated with birch.
Editor's note: The nymphs also present in the photograph are birch catkin bugs.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 4 August to 12 October (70 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2023, 2025 (3)
Orthops basalis
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 25 August 2022
About: This species of plant bug has a somewhat patchy distribution in Great Britain and is associated with umbellifers such as hogweed and wild angelica.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 2 June to 24 September (115 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Orthops campestris
Where and when encountered: Boat of Garten on 25 August 2025
About: This species of plant bug can be found in many corners of Great Britain, although less commonly in Scotland than elsewhere, and is associated with various umbellifers such as wild angelica.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 25 August to 11 September (18 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Orthotylus adenocarpi
Where and when encountered: Castle Grant on 29 July 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Orthotylus adenocarpi can be found on broom in various corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 25 to 29 July (5 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Orthotylus bilineatus
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 16 August 2024
About: These plants bugs are feeders on aspen (and, to a lesser extent, grey poplar). They have a scattered distribution across Great Britain, with an important part of their population being associated with aspen in the Scottish Highlands.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 10 to 16 August (7 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2023, 2024 (2)
Orthotylus ericetorum
Where and when encountered: Garlyne Moss on 25 August 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Orthotylus ericetorum can be found on heather and cross-leaved heath in various corners of Great Britain.
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Orthotylus virescens
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 11 August 2023
About: Orthotylus virescens is one of several species of plant bug associated with broom and can be found in various corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 26 July to 11 August (17 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2023, 2024 (2)
Orthotylus viridinervis
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 21 June 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Orthotylus viridinervis are associated with elm as a food-plant. They can be found in various corners of Great Britain, although they are scarce in, or perhaps absent from, the far north of Scotland.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
♀ Pachytomella parallela
Where and when encountered: Insh Marshes on 7 July 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Pachytomella parallela are associated with grassland in the uplands.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 6 June to 24 September (111 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
♂ Pachytomella parallela
Where and when encountered: Insh Marshes on 7 July 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Pachytomella parallela are associated with grassland in the uplands.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 6 June to 24 September (111 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Pantilius tunicatus
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 28 August 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Pantilius tunicatus live on hazel, alder, and birch trees. They can be found in various corners of Great Britain but are less commonly encountered to the north.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 28 August to 30 September (34 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Phoenicocoris obscurellus
Where and when encountered: Garlyne Moss on 6 July 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Phoenicocoris obscurellus are associated with pine trees. They may be encountered in various corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 5 to 6 July (2 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Phylus coryli
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 21 June 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Phylus coryli are associated with hazel as a food-plant. They can be found throughout most of Great Britain, but they are much less commonly encountered north of Hadrian's Wall than south of it.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Phytocoris pini
Where and when encountered: Garlyne Moss on 24 August 2024
About: Plant bugs of the species Phytocoris pini can be found on pines in scattered areas of Great Britain. The Scottish Highlands represent a significant part of their known distribution.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 1 August to 12 September (43 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2024, 2025 (2)
Phytocoris tiliae
Where and when encountered: Tarrig Mhore on 17 August 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Phytocoris tiliae are predatory insects associated with various deciduous trees, including elms, hazel, limes, and oaks. They can be found in many corners of Great Britain.
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Pinalitus cervinus
Where and when encountered: Speybridge on 11 September 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Pinalitus cervinus can be found on lime, hazel, ash, and ivy in various corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 30 August to 22 September (24 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2024, 2025 (2)
Plagiognathus arbustorum
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 5 September 2021
About: Plant bugs of this species can be found from the far north to the far south of Great Britain. They are associated with a range of plants, especially nettles, and where present can be abundant. Individuals range in colour from pale green to black.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 8 July to 7 September (62 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 (5)
Plagiognathus chrysanthemi
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 5 August 2024
About: Plant bugs in the species Plagiognathus chrysanthemi are widespread across Great Britain. They are associated with plants in the daisy family, including yarrow, ragwort, and oxeye daisy.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 21 June to 9 September (81 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Polymerus unifasciatus var lateralis
Where and when encountered: Insh Marshes on 7 July 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Polymerus unifasciatus feed on bedstraws. Insects in northern Great Britain have reduced yellow markings compared with those in the south and are classified as var lateralis.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 29 June to 7 July (9 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2025 (1)
Psallus falleni
Where and when encountered: Balliefurth Farm on 11 August 2025
About: Plant bugs of the species Psallus falleni can be found on birch in most corners of Great Britain.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 11 August to 2 September (23 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2021, 2025 (2)
Stenodema holsata
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 1 June 2025
About: Grass bugs of the species Stenodema holsata are mostly absent from the south-east of Great Britain but are widespread elsewhere. They are the commonest member of the genus Stenodema in upland areas, and they seem to be particularly at home where purple moor-grass is dominant.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 21 May to 5 October (138 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Zygimus nigriceps
Where and when encountered: Anagach Woods on 26 June 2024
About: The plant bug Zygimus nigriceps is a rare species with a dependence on juniper scrub habitat in the north of Great Britain.
Years with at least one adult record: 2024 (1)
Selected galleries
[ALL-TIME HIGHLIGHTS] [ARCTIC ALPINE PLANTS] [BUTTERFLIES] [COLOURFUL MOTHS] [DRAGONFLIES] [FORBS] [GALLS] [GRASSLAND ORCHIDS] [HOVERFLIES] [INSECTS OF EXPOSED RIVER SEDIMENT] [LONGHORN BEETLES] [PINE-ASSOCIATED FUNGI] [PLANT BUGS] [SHIELDBUGS] [UNCOMMON PINEWOOD HERBS] [WOODY PLANTS]