Red-veined Darter near Heysham, Lancashire

July 12, 2012:
Over recent years, after originally arriving as migrants, Red-veined Darters have been considered to be breeding at a small pool here. Records have been very low in the last few years however but one was recorded here last week simultaneously with an influx in other parts of the country which raises uncertainty about its origin. Today, in warm sunny conditions, a male was seen patrolling very low down over the water and perched briefly on vegetation at the water's edge. Some time later in the day another male was reportedly seen at the opposite end of the pool, suggesting at least two individuals present. The distinctive dark-bordered red pterostigma and red venation of the wings can clearly be seen in the photograph below.

Red-veined Darter in flight with a Common Blue Damselfly pair

Elsewhere around the pool, a few Black-tailed Skimmers were active, only resting occasionally and then only on the stones or dried mud. One newly emerged female flew into the surrounding bushes to allow her wings to dry.

A family of Mute Swans comprising eight cygnets rested peacefully at a safe place on the bank

Also present were large numbers of Common Darters and Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies

DRAGONFLY: Emperors (Anax imperator) at Brockholes, Lancashire

June 20, 2010:
A warm and sunny Sunday morning appeared promising for dragonflies so a walk round some of the more remote pools at Brockholes with Allen Holmes seemed likely to produce good results. A stiff breeze from the north-west at first kept numbers down but later when this subsided, several species were seen. Perhaps of greatest interest was the presence of at least seven male Emperors distributed over three of the smaller pools. All had clearly defined territories and immediately drove off approaching males as well as the frequent Black-tailed Skimmers. The Emperors flew very quickly but at one stage, and quite unusually, a male settled on a bank giving a rare opportunity for a photograph.





A female Emperor could be seen ovipositing on submerged water-weed towards the middle of one of the pools, remaining stationary for a while and bending and inserting its lower abdomen into the water, occasionally buzzed by a male Black-tailed Skimmer.



[Emperor ovipositing, buzzed by a male Black-tailed Skimmer below]



On another occasion a female Broad-bodied Chaser also oviposited but used a different technique to the Emperor, very briefly dipping and trailing its abdomen over the water surface, moving on all the time, and attended and protected throughout by a male.


[Broad-bodied Chaser ovipositing, male above]

Common Blue and Blue-tailed damselflies, Four-spotted Chasers and a single Banded Demoiselle were also seen as well as Small Tortoiseshell and Large Skipper butterflies. Thanks to Allen whose sharp eyes spotted the perched male Emperor (and much else).


[Black-tailed Skimmer, male]