British Bugs
HOME A BIT ABOUT BUGS GALLERY SYSTEMATIC LISTS RECORDING BUGS CONTACT US LINKS

Megalonotus chiragra
Family: Lygaeidae

 Megalonotus species are medium-sized ground bugs in which the pronotum is covered with dense pubescence and is coarsely punctured, particularly across the posterior. The front femora bear a large tooth and several smaller ones.

M. chiragra is distinguished by the long erect hairs on the pronotum and the regular curvature to the hind margin of the pronotum (the hind corners are protruberant and sharply-angled backwards in M. emarginatus). The middle and hind tibiae are dark (pale brown in the smaller and rarer M. sabulicola).

The commonest member of the genus, this species is found across England and Wales in dry habitats including grasslands, chalk downlands and sand dunes.

 Adult: All year
Length 4.5-5.5 mm
 Megalonotus chiragra
Adult: east London (April 2009) ©Tristan Bantock
Megalonotus chiragra Megalonotus chiragra
Adult: east London (April 2009) ©Tristan Bantock
 Adult: east London (April 2009) ©Tristan Bantock
Megalonotus chiragra Megalonotus chiragra
Adult: Surrey (June 2009) ©Tristan Bantock

 Adult: Surrey (June 2010) ©Tristan Bantock