Bug Field Recorder Day

Hemiptera – or true bugs – are the fifth largest order of insects in the UK, with around 2,000 described species. As a group, the true bugs are remarkably diverse in everything from size, pattern and shape, to lifestyle and habitat, and include everything from familiar shieldbugs and aphids, to planthoppers, jumping plant lice and water boatmen. From an ecological perspective, they are indispensable. Bugs occupy a remarkable diversity of niches, acting as herbivores, predators, scavengers, and sometimes even pollinators. The majority of hemipterans – however – are herbivores, feeding on plant sap using specialised piercing-sucking mouthparts. From a conservation and monitoring perspective, recording Hemiptera at a site yields considerable insight into habitat quality, trophic interactions, and ecosystem resilience. Because bug species often have specific host plants or microhabitat requirements, documenting their occurrence helps site managers detect rare or specialist species, understand subtle ecological niches, and prioritise areas for protection.