All images on this website have been taken in Leicestershire and Rutland by NatureSpot members. We welcome new contributions - just register and use the Submit Records form to post your photos. Click on any image below to visit the species page. The RED / AMBER / GREEN dots indicate how easy it is to identify the species - see our Identification Difficulty page for more information. A coloured rating followed by an exclamation mark denotes that different ID difficulties apply to either males and females or to the larvae - see the species page for more detail.

Bugs

Insects in the order Hemiptera are the 'true bugs'. They are unique amongst insects in having their mouthparts formed into a piercing beak or 'rostrum', used to suck juices from plants or other animals.   Their life cycles do not have a larval and pupal stage; instead, juvenile bugs have a series of nymph-stages or 'instars', which progressively have more adult-like characteristics. Hemiptera are divided into distinct sub-orders:

  • Heteroptera include the shield-bugs, plant bugs, ground bugs, water bugs and allied families.  These have a thickened and opaque basal part to their forewings, with a transparent outer part.  
  • Auchenorrhyncha are the leafhoppers, planthoppers, cicadas and allies. Some authorities divide this into two separate sub-orders: Cicadamorpha and Fulgoromorpha.  Many have enlarged back legs and can jump.
  • Sternorrhyncha are aphids, psyllids and allies.    

Identification help

Facebook group: UK Hemiptera

Facebook group: Aphids, Psyllids, Scales & allies (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha)

Aphids, Psyllids and allies (Sternorrhyncha)

Facebook group for Aphids, Psyllids, Scales & allies (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha)

Aleyrodidae - Whiteflies

Aphididae

There are at least 614 species of aphid in the UK (Bell, J.R. et al. 2015. Long term phenological trends, species accumulation rates, aphid traits and climate: five decades of change in migrating aphids. Journal of Animal Ecology 84, 21-34.). 

Many are host-specific, so you should always note the host plant when making a record.  The host plant is often the best starting point for identification.  However, most plants can host more than one species of aphid, so always check your ID against keys or descriptions.

The Influential Points website is an excellent surce of information about aphids, including lists and descriptions of species found on a particular host-plant. https://influentialpoints.com/