HOVERFLIES: Some common Lancashire hoverflies

August 25-27, 2010:
A few photographs of some local hoverflies are below. Identification to species level (and even to genus) can often be difficult. Some of those shown are only named tentatively and therefore open to correction.


Heliophilus pendulas, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010


Heliophilus pendulas, Brockholes Wetland, 27.8.2010


Episyrphus balteatus, Mere Sands, 26.8.2010


Episyrphus balteatus, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010


Eristalis pertenax, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010


Syrphus vitripennis, Mere Sands, 26.8.2010


Syrphus vitripennis (left) & Episyrphus balteatus, Mere Sands, 26.8.2010


Query Epistrophe grossulariae, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010


Query Melanastoma scalare, Brockholes Wetland, 27.8.2010


Query Eupeodes luniger, Brockholes Wetland, 27.8.2010

FUNGUS: Some gasteroid fungi in north-west England

September 28-October 4, 2010:
'Gasteroid' is a loose term used to describe fungi in which the spores are developed within the closed fruitbodies. The result is that the spores are not forcibly dicharged but are released passively often through a central hole (ostiole) by the aid of external agents such as wind or falling rain drops. The group includes those fungi well-known as puffballs, earthstars, etc. Dunes and woodlands are typical habitats with those at Ainsdale NNR near Southport being especially rich. A few seen and photographed recently are shown here.


[Dunes at Ainsdale]

Lycoperdon perlatum, Common Puffball, (below) occurs either singly or in small clusters and has its outer surface delicately covered with fine spines or 'pearls'. It is widespread in Britain and very common at Ainsdale where photographed here.





[Fruitbodies from which the spores have been expelled]


[Above, probably the closely-related Lycoperdon nigrescens, Ainsdale dunes]

Lycoperdon excipuliformis, Pestle-shaped Puffball (below) also occurs at Ainsdale but less frequently. It mainly differs from the above in its shape as suggested by its common name. It is more elongated and taller than L. perlatum.


[Lycoperdon excipuliformis at Ainsdale]

Lycoperdon pyriforme, Stump Puffball, is common throughout the country and grows in woodland on strongly-decaying wood. Photographed below at Eaves Wood, Lancashire in 2008.


[Lycoperdon pyriforme]

Scleroderma citrinum, Common Earthball, (below) is tinged yellowish and has coarse scales or warts on its outer surface. It favours acidic woodlands and heaths and is often associated with birch, beech or oak. Here it was growing amongst scattered birch on the heath at Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria.



[Scleroderma citrinum]

Geastrum triplex, Collared Earthstar, is probably the commonest species within the genus. The expanded fruit body splits into several arched rays to reveal the onion-shaped central body. Often found on dunes or in calcareous woodland as here at Silverdale.


[Geastrum triplex]

MAMMAL: Roe Deer at Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire

September 26, 2010:
Being close to the Ribble and with much woodland and scrub both on the site and nearby, this wetland is a haven for a number of mammal species which sometimes includes Roe Deer. Intensive construction work on the new facilities is carried out on weekdays so that not many animals have been seen lately but on this quiet Sunday afternoon, one at least was inspecting the new developments.



It took quite an interest in the brightly coloured notice-board and seemed reluctant to leave until spotting a long lens aimed in its direction 150 metres away.

DRAGONFLY: Brown Hawker and Migrant Hawker at Mere Sands, Lancashire

September 16, 2010:
On a cool blustery early autumn day with little sun, it was rather rather surprising to see Brown and Migrant Hawkers flying. They mainly kept to the more sheltered areas at the tree margins but were inclined to settle onto vegetation more frequently than normal. This was especially noticeable for the Brown Hawker as these seem to fly for ever and are rarely seen settled except when ovipositing. Common Darters were also flying as well as Comma, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies.



Brown Hawker, female (both above), Migrant Hawker, male (both below)

DRAGONFLY: Southern Hawkers (Aeshna cyanea) near Silverdale, Lancashire

September 9, 2010:
A small sheltered pool near Silverdale has several species of dragonfly including Common Darter, Black Darter and the rather scarce Ruddy Darter. Here also are Southern Hawkers but despite having made several visits to the site in the last few weeks, I had failed to get a photo of any at rest. Today, whether it was the temperature, the cooler weather conditions, or the time of day, several males settled obligingly, only spending short periods in flight or buzzing an onlooker, and much preferring to perch at the pool edge on the reed-mace, willow-herb, meadowsweet or bramble.

DRAGONFLY: Southern Hawkers and Common Hawkers near Burnley, Lancashire

September 2/3, 2010:
A small isolated wooded pool close to the Pennine moorland had at least three species of Hawker flying today. The conditions were ideal for dragonflies, windless and very warm in the sheltered hollow amongst the trees. A female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) attempted to oviposit (below) onto a desiccated log well above water-level and repeatedly changed position in trying to find an acceptable site.





Males also patrolled the area (below), regularly buzzing any observer whilst a Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis) was seen ovipositing on floating weed but this was on the far side of the pool and out of camera range.


[A patrolling Southern Hawker]

Common Hawkers (Aeshna juncea) were also flying and a bonus came when one settled on the trunk of a nearby pine. At first photographed at long range, it was soon possible to approach extremely closely and even then it didn’t fly, only doing so later to pursue a male which had invaded its territory. Seen against the rough bark of the tree, it was well camouflaged and presumably it knew that.




[Common Hawker]


[The dragonfly pool with a light mist rising]

Several Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) were also seen as well as numerous Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies. Thanks are due to Allen Holmes for details of this site.

DRAGONFLY: Ruddy Darters and Common Darters in Lancashire

August 19, 2010:
In this area of north-west England the Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is quite frequent, especially in the lowland areas, but the confusingly-similar Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) appears much more scarce. The Ruddys have moved into the county in fairly recent times and are slowly spreading northwards through Cumbria.

The males of both species are red and quite similar to each other and so also are the yellowish females. Fortunately, both species perch readily and allow a close view to be obtained.

The male Ruddy Darter especially, is perhaps most easily distinguished from the Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) in having jet black legs (yellow-striped in the Common), by the presence of a conspicuous black line running down the sides of the frons (absent in the Common), having deep red eyes and frons, a blood-red (not orange-red) more waisted abdomen and a rufus thorax.



[Ruddy Darter, male, both above: the completely black legs, the dark line running down the side of the frons and the deep red eyes and abdomen, can be seen]



[Common Darter, male, both above: the yellow-striped legs, the absence of a dark line running down the side of the frons, the paler more brown eyes and the orange-red abdomen, can be seen]

Ruddy Darters appear to favour sheltered vegetation near choked ditches and pools where the males will perch and often return to the same place if disturbed. Ruddys are also noticeably smaller than Common Darters and are more prone to hover. The Common Darter has a tendency to rest on artificial surfaces as well as on vegetation but this doesn't seem to occur anything like so much with the Ruddy Darter.

Thanks are due to Allen Holmes for helpful discussion on some taxonomic points.

BUTTERFLY: White-letter- and Purple Hairstreaks at Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

August 22 (and July 11), 2010:
The first decent weekend's weather for more than a month meant that many butterflies and dragonflies were on the wing on the Reserve. Six weeks ago, I was fortunate to obtain photos (above and below) of White-letter Hairstreaks (Satyrium w-album) there. Since then I had been hoping to get the chance to do the same with Purple Hairstreaks (Neozephyrus quercus). Boilton Wood at the Reserve's northern edge has both of these rather similar-looking butterflies and without doubt merits its SSSI status as a wild-life haven. White-letter Hairstreaks are closely associated with Elm trees (Ulmus spp.), especially Wych-elm, as this is their larval foodplant. Like many Hairstreaks they spend much time high in the tree canopy but will come down for nectar under favourable conditions. On this very warm sunny afternoon in July (the 11th), the weather was ideal, the bramble thickets below the trees were in full flower, and it was there that at least three of them were feeding on the brambles.




Being small, they were most easily located when in flight and needed to be watched carefully to find exactly where they had settled. Unfortunately, the subsequent poor weather appears to have curtailed their reappearance and it may be that this particular colony is only a small, somewhat isolated one. No doubt though, there will be several others elsewhere in these extensive woodlands.

Purple Hairstreaks (photos below) have a later and probably longer flight period. These are found amongst and close to oak trees (Quercus spp.) as this is their larval foodplant and, similar to the White-letter, they fly high in the leafy canopy and are also difficult to locate.




Today (August 22) they could be seen on two separate oak trees in warm but breezy conditions. It is interesting that they occurred in an almost identical situation to that of the White-letters although at a different place along the woodland's edge; they have in fact been seen in at least three separate places here recently.



When looking for both species this summer, even though conditions appeared ideal and the butterflies were known to be present, there were long periods of inactivity with none visible. Patience is needed to locate them.


[Typical habitat of both Hairstreaks, Brockholes]