Dock Bugs

Have you ever seen or heard of a dock bug? Well if you've been walking in the countryside and passed by dock plants (Rumex) then chances are you have also walked right passed families of dock bugs as these are their favourite plants! But you have to really look for them as they blend in very well with the seed heads.

What are dock bugs?

Dock bugs (Coreus marginatus) are strange little critters belonging to the family Coreidae. In the USA they are known as squash bugs as many of the species are pests of squash crops. They are commonly found in small groups that consist of both adults and larvae with adults hibernating through winter.

These weird looking creatures are wonderful to photograph as they have so much character and their colours blend in beautifully with their favourite dock plant. 2014 saw me spend time with these wonderful little critters for the first time and I will certainly be spending more time with them this year as part of my Forgotten Little Creatures Project.

This first photo is of a mid instar life stage making its way over a dried leaf

All the following photos are of adult dock bugs in various locations around the dock plant. But there are not standard identification images, I wanted to capture some of the character of these bugs especially as seemed to play hide and seek around the plant!

This last image I think is my favourite, not only do you have the main adult bug framed by the leaf but if you look closely you can see the antennae of two other bugs round the other side of the leaf!

I am really looking forward to spring and being able to get back out and about working on this project, bringing more fascinating bugs (plants and reptiles) to you in all their charm and beauty.

Next up is African penguins. 

Just before I go, last year I was delighted to be asked to do an interview for Bokeh Online, a magazine dedicated to the art and lifestyle of photography. Well, that interview (A Fusion Of Science & Art) was published in early January in Issue 26 and is now available to purchase through iTunes just follow this link: bokehonline.com issue 26

Buy for now. Victoria xx