This rare and new to Britain bug has been found just once in Northants in 2002 in the River Nene near Islip by Sheila Brooke and Bernard Nau as part of an early search in the correct habitats. After an initial success in finding it they broadened their searching and found it "from the Great Ouse (Beds & Hunts), the Nene (Northants) and the Thames (Oxon)." (Het News Spring 2003)

Distribution:

Currently found in just the one site in Northants at Islip on the River Nene and considered Rare. I have been back to the site twice but not found t again.

Habitat:

Sheila and Bernard found that "It was noticeable that the most 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. (Het News Spring 2003)

Identification:

It is subtly smaller than the other Micronecta species and it is worth separating into the size groups first and then you will need to examine the male parameers to confirm the species.