Common pond skater (Gerris lacustris) Family Gerridae.
This species has many names: water striders, water bugs, magic bugs, skaters, skimmers, water scooters, water skaters, water skeeters, water skimmers or water skippers.  
Gerris lacustris is the most common in the Netherlands. A predominantly yellow front thigh with only a black stripe along the side edge. The wings are often half developed. Other species you can find in the pond are G. odontogaster and G. argentatus. They have almost entirely black front legs. G. thoracicus has a slightly red spot on the pronotum. G. argentatus is also significantly smaller. (Ton van Haaren thanks for the information)
They mainly feed on insects, which have fallen into the water but also of insects  larvae, which live in water. Just like the other bugs, it has a (short and sharp) rostrum. (sucking mouthparts).
They are heavier than water, but they have tiny hairs on their feet which repel water and allow them to walk (skate) on the surface film. The first short legs are used for grasping prey, the middle are used to row or jump and the hind are used as “rudders”. They can also fly.
Females lay eggs in May. The eggs take around 12-14 days to develop. The adults hibernate.
                    
15-3-2012.   Left, bottom:  Nymph Common pond skater.  29-6-2012.

Hydrometra stagnorurn. Family Hydrometridae.

They stand much higher on their legs, then  a skater. They walk  not so fast over the water film and stay near the edge of the pond. As a child I thought they were family of my stick insects.
It feed on insects like the pond skaters.
The adults hibernate. The female lays the 1 mm large eggs on plants above the water (some times a year).
An other very similar species is the Hydrometra gracilenta.

Length 9 - 12 mm.
Europe.
   
Photos 20-6-2012.    German: Gemeine Teichläufer. 

Backswimmers, because they swim upside down. They use their long, hair-fringed hind legs as paddles. Backswimmers maintain an air supply by trapping air in pockets at the tip of the abdomen. After six hours they need to return to the surface. In contrast of walking, it is a good flier
It is a real predator. It is feeding by piercing the prey (larvae, frog tadpole) and sucking out body fluids. But backswimmers must watch out for toads and frogs.
The eggs are laid singly attached to the stems of plants.  

German:  Rückenschwimmer  French: Notonectes

Backswimmers (Notonecta)

Here on the dry terrace underneath a patio umbrella. So far I had only seen backswimmers it in the pond.

I was on that moment not in my best mood. That night there was tried  to burgle. They had run away, when my woman  was nothing suspecting gone downstairs. Nothing has been stolen, but I had to replace the damaged lock. 
Then this backswimmer landed before my feet on the flags. I stopped repairing and took my camera. After some photos it flew away. That was also a good for a photo.
The day ended better, than it began.  

German:  Rückenschwimmer  French: Notonectes

Except in and on water you find also bugs (Hemiptera) in the garden. They have also a sucking mouthparts known as a rostrum. But instead of sucking animals, many bugs suck plant juices. There are species as aphids and cicadas  and true bugs.
Shield bugs are generally flattish oval or shield shaped bugs. The antennae have five segments. This is the family True Shieldbugs (Pentatomidae). Other similar families are the family Acanthosomatidae, Burrower Bugs (Cydnidae), Shield-backed Bugs (Scutelleridae), Squash Bugs, Leaffooted Bugs (Coreidae)
 
The true bugs have forewings that are hardened at the base and membranous at the tips. They sit flat over the abdomen hiding the membranous hind wings. Hemiptera means “half wing.  They are held flat on the back, with the ends overlapping. (Hardened forewings like the beetles have, but the forewings of beetles meet together in a straight line on their back) 

A very common shield bug. A green bug. The 4th and 5th segments of the antennae are partially reddish.
I find them in many different plants, shrubs, trees.
They resemble the Nezara viridula. This bug has a pale wing membrane. The wing membrane of Newly-emerged adults green stink is pale too.
Adult: All year

Length 12-14 mm.
Palearctic

    Photos 24-4-2010, 9-7-2012. Mating green stinkbugs.
German: Grüne Stinkwanze, Gemeine Stinkwanze, Gemeiner Grünling French: Punaise verte

On the first picture a young 2th instar nymph. The nymphs on the left are younger than the nymphs below. The very young nymphs have dark legs, later the colour of the legs will change into light green. In the pictures below you can see that the older nymphs are not as bright green. The nymphs born later in the year can be darker. At the 5th instar nymphs is the beginning of the wings already visible.

Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) Family True Shieldbugs (Pentatomidae).

This bug resembles the green stinkbug. 
The bug in the photo is a young adult. In August, September is the new adult generation. In autumn its colour changes to red. In spring they are yellowish green.
The edge on the sides of the body is light green. Along the edge is a blue part. The antennae are orange.
It lives on lives on gorse and broom. I have read also lupin.
In our area are few observations of the Piezodorus lituratus. The adult hibernates. 
Length 10 - 13 mm.

Photo 21-8-2010. 

German: Ginster-Baumwanze.  

Photos 9-8-2009. 

German:  Beerenwanze.  French: Punaise des baies, pentatome des baies.

Like the striped shieldbug this bug lived originally in the south of Europe. Now it is becoming less rare in the Netherlands. It looks a bit like the sloe bug. The tip of the shield is white and the edge is black and white. The antennas of this bug are yellow-orange with a black top and black on the forth segment.
It  lives on various herbs.
Length 9 - 10 mm.

March - October

Photo 2-6-2011.

Striped Shield Bug (Graphosoma lineatum). Family True Shieldbugs (Pentatomidae).

A shield bug with black and red stripes.
It was in the Netherlands a rather rare wants, but it is seen now more and more. They frequently sit on umbels. In this photo on a celery flower. This bug smells like apples. But the birds don’t like it. Length: 8-12 mm. The adults hibernate.

German:  Streifenwanze  French: Punaise arlequin, graphosome italien, scutellère rayée, pentatome rayé

They are found in wooded areas. 
They are feeding on fruits. But they are also predatory. (insects, even garden chafer) 

Length 13 - 15 mm.
July - December.
The larvae hibernate.

German:  Rotbeinige Baumwanze  French: Punaise à pattes rousses, Punaise des bois
Foto's 18-9-2011 en 11-9-2011

  Photos 1-5-2010, 15-5-2010.

Photos 4-7-2010, 12-7-2010.    German: Kohlwanze  French: Punaise potagère

The colours vary. Gray, green or red brown. On the scutellum is usually a black area.
They live in birch and alder.
The females take care for their eggs and larvae. They guard and protect them. The nymphs follow their mother.The females lay their eggs in a cluster on the underside of the leaves.
They hibernate as an adult. Length 6 - 9 mm.  Photos 5-6-2012, 10-6-2012.                         
It's a common species. They occur in many parts of the world. Similar to the E. fieberi (rare in the Netherlands).
German: Fleckige Brutwanze  French: Punaise grise ou grisâtre.                                      

They can be confused with the parent bug. They have no black spots along the edge of the body. They are green with red, reddish brown. The scutellum is also green with red, reddish brown..
Remarkably, the Birch Shield Bug has a kind of antifreeze in its body, making it survives harsh winter conditions. It  is therefore found in the entire Northern Hemisphere.
They live in birch. They are also found on aspen and hazel. In my garden I find them on other plants. But near the birch. Length: 9-11 mm.
A larger similar species is Hawthorn shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale).
Elasmostethus minor is even more similar, but in the Netherlands they only live in South Limburg (in the Red Honeysuckle) They are very rare.  German: Bunte Blattwanze.  
Nymphs Birch Shield Bug (Elasmostethus interstinctus). 

German: Wipfel-Stachelwanze  

Photos 3-7-2011.

   On the other photos the bug is very well visible. But on this photo you can see, it has a good camouflage.                    German: Buntrock

Legnotus limbosus is a small black bug with a metallic sheen. Along the shield it has a pale edge.
It is similar to the Legnotus picipes. A difference is the square notch at the front of the head, which only has Legnotus limbosus. Associated with bedstraws (Galium)
Adult: All year
Length 4 to 5 mm.
Photos 29-4-2010.

Three years later: 5-5-2013

The Pied shield bug looks a bit like the cabbage bug. That bug is from another family. The pied shield bug is always black white spots. 
It is very similar to the much rarer Tritomgas sexmaculatus. The white spots of this bug on the pronotum are much tighter.
Since May, the eggs are deposited. They can be found  in the herb layer. The main host plants are white dead nettle and black horehound.
The adult bug overwinters.
Length 5 to 7 mm.
It is both in Europe and the Netherlands a general bug. Also in North Africa, Central Asia

Photos 17-4-2011   Nymph Pied shieldbug Photo 10-7-2011

German: Lederwanze, Große Randwanze, Saumwanze French: punaise brune, corée marginée  

Gonocerus acuteangulatus Family: Squash bugs, Leaffooted bugs (Coreidae) 

The adult bug is similar to the Dock leaf bug. But it has narrower abdomen. The pale legs are also slim.
It has different foodplants.
Adults can be found throughout the year. The adult bugs overwinter in leaf litter.
Length 11 - 14 mm.

Central Asia, Europe.  Originally in the Mediterranean.


Nymph: Photo 12-7-2010 Adult: Photo 2-6-2011

There are many in our garden. A beautiful small brown bug. They hibernate as adult.
Length: 4-6 mm. All the year.
It is similar to the Kleidocerys ericae. Near heather.  
 
Nymph Kleidocerys resedae, different stadium. March - September. They feed on seeds of the birch..

     

German: Birkenwanze.
   

Drymus sylvaticus is similar. It is a dark bug. When the sun is shining on the bug you see also brown. During the shooting they run away, but mostly they don't fly away.

Adult: All year
Length 4-5 mm

Photos 26-10-2011 Photo left under 13-4-2008

I thought it was another Drymus ryeii, because I see them often. Fortunately I have taken some pictures. It is a different species. A small bug like Drymus brunneus is not so easy to recognize.
If you look at the picture, you see clear differences. The shin and the top part of the antenna are light brown.

Adult: All year
Length 4-5 mm

Photos 24-03-2012.

Photo 19-9-2008 

Stygnocoris species are small. The forwings are covered with small hairs. Stygnocoris sabulosus looks like the S. fuligineus. But it has pale legs and antennae. The last segment of the antenna is dark. 

Particularly on dry, sandy areas.
The eggs overwinters and hatch in the spring. Most ground bugs hibernate as adults.

Length 2,5 - 3 mm
August - October

Photo 17-10-2010

In the Netherlands there are a number of species, which are similar. The differences are small. (colour of antennae, legs and wing length.) This species always has  long wings. The antennae and legs are light brown. The thighs of the legs are very thick.
They often are found in damp places, between the leaves and moss on the ground.
The adults hibernate. (Photo 2-11-09) They reproduce in the spring. In July, August, the next generation appears. Length 4 to 5 mm
It is found throughout Europe.

Similar species: S. affinis, S. decoratus, S. grandis, S. pilosus, S. puberulus, S. thomsoni.

Left: Photos 9-2-2011.

Photo 22-09-2010

This bug has short wings. Photo: 14-6-2011.

Common Nettle Capsid  (Liocoris tripustulatus) Family: Plant Bugs Miridae

I have seen them oft, but it was difficult to take a photo. (small and moving)
It is the largest family of true bugs. They are small. They have the small, simple eyes that appear on many insects and have 2 closed cells in the membranous portion of their hemielytra.
They occur of course on the nettle, but also on other plants. I have read the bug can be a pest of agriculture and in greenhouses. For plants as blackberry bushes, raspberry, cucumber, paprika, gerbera, Chrysanthemums. Still it is a beautiful little plant bug.

Length 3,5-5 mm. The adults hibernate.  

German:  Gepunktete Nesselwanze  

A small bug sitting on the watering-can (June 2008)
It is a rather hairy bug.
Some are brightly colored, others drab or dark.
Rhopalus subrufus is often found on low vegetation in scrubby areas. (on many plants)
The adults hibernate. Length: 7 mm.
Photos 18-4-2011, 23-4-2011, 18-9-2011.

Photos 6-10-2012. For the first time in our garden.

They are used as biological pest control.
More information.

  Nymph Common flower bug (Anthocoris Nemorum) stadium 5

Photo left below 21-7-2012.: Nymph Flower bug (Orius spec) 5th instar. With its prey, a thrips. 

Himacerus mirmicoides. Family Nabidae.

The adult bug is similar to a Himacerus apterus. But this bug has long antennae. The Himacerus mirmicoides its feelers are shorter or as long as the body. Usually they have short wings, but sometimes the wings are fully developed.
They are predatory bugs. On the photo the nymph is looking for a prey. (all kinds of insects)
They hibernate as adults. In July, August, you can find the larvae.
Photos adult dark bug (female) May 24 2009. Light brown adult bug: August and September 2010.

German:  Ameisensichelwanze.  

Photos 3-3-2009.

German:  Rotbeinige Baumwanze 

You can find the cicadas on my site on: Subpage Cicadas.