The Embolemidae is a small family with 10-15 species worldwide. E. ruddii is the only species in Britain. Notes on identification may be found in Perkins (1976).
The species has a widespread distribution in Britain, but is not known from Ireland.
It is not listed in the Red Data Book despite the paucity of records, as its true distribution is incompletely known.
Females (wingless) have been recorded from May to September. The winged males, however, have not been seen in the earlier months. The females are believed to overwinter as adults.
Almost nothing is known about this species. Females have been collected in or near nests of ants and moles, and one was found on Sphagnum moss. The host is unknown. However, a North American species apparently develops in a homopteran bug (Bridwell 1958).
1997