Orius vicinus

This is probably the Orius species that I've encountered most often, but the identification of some has been uncertain.

Most of the Orius that I've found have been female but this male was more confidently identified.

male Orius vicinus showing paramere, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 11th August 2020

Separation of females from Orius majusculus is most safely achieved by examining the copulatory tube between the seventh and eighth abdominal segments (short on vicinus, long on majusculus). The key indicates that this is best seen on cleared and stained specimens, so I was expecting it to be a membranous structure that needs to take up dye to be seen easily. However, in 2021 I finally managed to dissect a female well enough to be able to be confident I had found the right bit of its anatomy and it is in fact easily visible without staining. What I'd previously suspected might be the copulatory tube on earlier specimens clearly wasn't!

female Orius vicinus showing copulatory tube, St Mary's churchyard, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 25th July 2021

Although I may not have found the right bit previously, I suspect the IDs were most likely correct anyway. On this one I think I can see the actual copulatory tube in the photo (albeit angled away from the camera) as well as the (blue-stained) tube I thought might be it.

female Orius vicinus showing copulatory tube, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 31st July 2020