A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



which they suck the juices ; but some of them prey upon other insects, 

 and one has conferred an evil reputation upon the rest from its too 

 assiduous attentions to mankind. Some are winged, but are not so 

 frequently found flying as other insects ; others have only rudimentary 

 wings and elytra, and a few are altogether wingless. Although they 

 are mainly attached to land plants, a good many are found in or on the 

 surface of the water. 



Among the more notable Essex species are Ettrygaster maura, which 

 has been swept from mint at St. Osyth ; JElia acuminata, which occurs 

 on the coast, and has also been beaten from birch at Colchester. A 

 single specimen of Pentatotna fuscispina was taken at St. Osyth on August 

 19, 1901. Of this fine insect only six British specimens were previously 

 recorded, all from Devonshire. The rare Strachia oleracea has been 

 found near Clacton-on-Sea, where Beosus luscus may not unfrequently 

 be met with. The very beautiful Zicrona ccerulea has been captured at 

 Dedham. Henestaris laticeps and Ceraleptus Irvidus are coast insects, and 

 the curious Chorosoma schilling} may be met with freely on the flower 

 heads of the marram and other seaside grasses. Dictyonota fuliginosa, for 

 which Weybridge is the only recorded locality, has several times been 

 found, and the rare Monanthia ciliata once only. A macropterous 

 example of Nabis brevipenms, which is usually micropterous in this 

 country, and concerning which Saunders says, ' I have never seen a fully 

 developed British specimen,' has occurred, and a similar fully developed 

 specimen of N. latrventris. Probably the high temperature of some 

 recent summers may have produced these unusual forms. N. lineatus 

 is occasionally to be found on the coast sands, while Lopus jtavomargin- 

 afus, which is usually considered local and scarce, seems to be widely 

 distributed in the northern part of the county. 



HOMOPTERA 



The Homopterous section of the Hemiptera includes the frog- 

 hoppers and cuckoo-spits. They are mostly of small size, the strange 

 looking Ledra aurlta being our largest Essex species. This is by no 

 means common, but may sometimes be found in oak woods in the 

 autumn. Issus coleoptratus is another curiously formed insect, which 

 occurs somewhat freely near Colchester. Triecphora vu/nerata, our most 

 beautiful native species, is common throughout the summer. The 

 universally distributed Pbilcenus spumarius, commonly known as the 

 ' spittle-bug,' is also worthy of notice. The larva of this species, which 

 advertises its presence by surrounding itself with a frothy secretion, is 

 said by all the gamekeepers about Colchester to be fatal to young 

 pheasants if they eat it, and according to them large numbers actually 

 do perish every year from this cause. All species included in the list 

 which follows have occurred in the Colchester district except where 

 other localities are given : 



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