Micronecta griseola was first found in Britain in 2000 by Bernard Nau and Sheila Brooke.  It’s favoured habitat is a slow-moving river with some kind of hard substrate coated with a short ‘lawn’ of filamentous alga. Stray lumps of concrete, concrete bank lining, steel sheet piling, and bridge supports are all worth a look. (Nau&Brooke, 2003a).

It is assumed they have the same lifecycle as Micronecta poweri and Micronecta minutissima with which they are usually found and over winter as nymphs and have 2 generations a year . (Nau&Brooke, 2003).

Distribution

The map is taken from NBN Gateway and shows 10km squares in yellow and 50km coverage for all UK records. Micronecta griseola is only found in rivers in the centre of England however more recording of this should push the distribution wider. It is yet to be recorded in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Identification

At 1.7mm to 2.2mm this is generally slightly smaller than Micronecta minutissima and needs to be discted to see the male right clasper