''Ischnodemus sabuleti'', also known as the European chinch bug, is a species of swarming

true bug Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from to around ...

from the family

Blissidae The Blissidae are a family in the Hemiptera (true bugs), comprising nearly 50 genera and 400 species. The group has often been treated as a subfamily of the Lygaeidae but was resurrected as a full family by Thomas Henry (1997). The adult insects ...

, which family also includes the American Chinch Bug ''

Blissus leucopterus ''Blissus leucopterus'', also known as the true chinch bug, is a small North American insect in the order Hemiptera and family Blissidae. It is the most commonly encountered species of the genus '' Blissus'', which are all known as chinch bugs. ...

''. It was first described by Carl Fredrik Fallén in 1826.

Description

Adult bugs are 4-6mm long, very slender elliptical overall and have a black base color. The rear edge of the pronotum, parts of the

hemelytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alterna ...

, the

tibiae The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...

and tarsi, and the tips of the femora, are yellow-brown in colour. The species is dimorphic: some individuals are macropterous (fully winged) and others micropterous (very short winged). The two types are estimated to be roughly equally numerous. A form with wings of intermediate length is occasionally found. Nymphs are of a similar shape with the hind part of the

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...

scarlet.

Distribution and Habitat

The species is common in most of mainland Europe and absent only from the far North. It occurs also in the Western North Africa and further East through Eastern Europe to

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

and the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...

. It is widely found in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and in places is very numerous. In the South, it is less common than in the North. In

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, it occurs only in the East. In the British Isles its history has been one of gradual expansion over many decades. Prior to 1893 it was known only from one site in

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

; by 1959 it had reached

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

and

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

; the spread has continued since then and by 2014 it was being reported as far north as

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

and west to parts of

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

. ''Ischnodemus sabuleti'' is often found in coastal areas on

beachgrass ''Ammophila'' (synonymous with ''Psamma'' P. Beauv.) is a genus of flowering plants consisting of two or three very similar species of grasses. The common names for these grasses include marram grass, bent grass, and beachgrass. These grasses ar ...

(''Ammophila''), couch grass ('' Elymus'') and other dune grasses; also in inland wetlands where swarms of thousands are often found, particularly on sweet-grass (''Glyceria''), less commonly on canarygrass (''Phalaris''), common reed (''Phragmites'') or cattails (''Typha''). Occasionally, they are found in summer in dry locations, where they live for example in small-reed (''Calamagrostis''). In times of rain the nymphs and adults shelter on the underside of the leaf sheaths, from where the adults climb higher on the stalks in fine weather.

Development

The insects require two years for their development. Overwintering adults mate from the end of May until the beginning of July. By late autumn the nymphs reach the third to fifth stage, and then hibernate. From about July of next year, the nymphs complete their development to adults. The adults are active even at quite low temperatures in the winter.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10536960 Insects described in 1826 Blissidae Hemiptera of Europe