DRAGONFLY: Banded Demoiselles, Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

June 2, 2010:
In the present hot sunny weather, Banded Demoiselles (Calopteryx splendens) are flying on certain parts of the Reserve and especially in those reed beds not too far from the river. Many of them, whether males or females, are in beautiful condition.


[Male]


[Male]


[Female]


[Female]

The males maintain fairly localised territories, although in some cases two will occur surprisingly together.


[Two males in a stand-off?]

They are usually quite active, especially when disturbed, but will soon return with fluttering flight to perch on a leaf or dead Phragmites seed-head.


[Female, showing the metallic green tinge]


[Another female with full colouration still developing]

DRAGONFLY: Four-spotted Chaser at Foulshaw, Cumbria

May 23, 2010:
The period of good weather which benefited the butterflies also brought out the dragonflies. At Foulshaw on the main pool, dozens of Four-spotted Chasers were flying but were reluctant to settle or perch. Further on by the path near the platform there are some large stagnant puddles. Again the Chasers were frequent here, the males often conveniently settled on the surrounding vegetation and claiming territory and driving off intruders. At one large puddle a female repeatedly dipped down, its abdomen touching the water surface as it its layed eggs into the shallows.






Four-spotted Chaser

Also present here was the Azure Damselfly with its bright electric blue body. These were present in hundreds.


Azure Damselfly

The Large Red Damselfly was less frequent. It can easily be distinguished from its relative the Small Red by its black legs.




Large Red Damselfly

BUTTERFLY: Spring butterflies in the Lancashire/Cumbria border area

May 20-23, 2010:
The extremely hot sunny weather over these few days provided an opportunity to see some of the interesting butterflies which fly at this time of year. Whitbarrow (south Cumbria) and Gaitbarrows NNR (north Lancashire) are both excellent sites for butterflies as well as much else. At each, there are good colonies of the nationally-scarce Duke of Burgundy Fritillary whose habitat is woodland glades and open scrub with an abundance of its larval food plant, Cowslip (Primula veris). A rather small neatly-marked butterfly, it flies from mid-May into June.






Duke of Burgundy Fritillary

Also at these sites, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary can be found, another species under threat which has seriously declined in recent years. Again, woodland glades are favoured where there are violets (Viola spp.), its food plant. This butterfly is in flight a few weeks earlier than the commoner, less threatened, but closely-related Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.




Pearl-bordered Fritillary: (the characteristic spotting on the underside of the wing distinguishes it from its relative, the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary).

At Gaitbarrows on the barer, stony areas, the Dingy Skipper was active and very restless but rarely perched for long and so made photography difficult. Its food plant, Bird's foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) didn't appear to hold its interest on this occasion.


Dingy Skipper

At Foulshaw (south Cumbria), Orange Tips and Speckled Woods were flying but a small colony of Green Hairstreaks which favoured a small patch of Garlick Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) was of particular interest. This is the only British butterfly with green-pigmented scales. Often found in scrub, it has a wide range of food plants.




Green Hairstreak

Nearby, a brightly coloured, newly emerged Small Copper was flying. Species of Rumex (Sorrel) are its foodplant.


Small Copper

DRAGONFLY: Trithemis annulata (Violet Dropwing) at Asprokremnos, Cyprus

May 6, 2010:
In early evening after a very hot day Violet Dropwings began to emerge in large numbers from vegetation at the margins of the pool and perched conveniently for a while giving good views. This is a dragonfly of North African origin which is now quite widespread in the Mediterranean region. The male's abdomen possesses a beautiful violet-mauve overtone (basically red with a pruinose blue overlay) whilst the female's is brownish.


Male


Female

BUTTERFLY: Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), Nata, Cyprus

May 6, 2010:
The water-splash at Nata is a well-known spot for migrant birds which come down to drink there. On this occasion there was no bird of note but several butterflies were seen along the track-side including Swallowtails, Clouded Yellows and this single Lulworth Skipper perching in typical Skipper fashion with its wings partly open.



In Britain, the Lulworth Skipper only occurs in south Dorset at more or less the northern limit of its European range. Further south it is much more common and it extends southwards through the Mediterranean into north Africa. The larvae feed on various species of grass.



(Above) a rather faded Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) photographed at Asprokremnos on the same day.

BUTTERFLY: Hermit (Chazara briseis), Avagas, Cyprus

May 7, 2010;
The Hermit ranges from southern Europe to north Africa. In the northern part of its range it is apparently becoming scarce but is widespread and common in the south. It is a rather large butterfly having a wingspan of up to 60mm. When at rest it behaves in a similar manner to the Grayling (Hipparchia semele) angling its wings in line with the sun so that very little shadow is cast and heat on the wings is minimised. It is found in hot, dry stony habitats with sparse vegetation where its colouration makes it difficult to separate it from the background. Its foodplant comprises several species of grass including Bromus, Festuca and Sesleria.



Photographed here perched on a gravelly track in the Akamas, western Cyprus, it was difficult to pick out against the background.

CATERPILLAR/BUTTERFLY: Eastern Festoon (Zerynthia cerisy), Kidasi, Cyprus

May 5, 2010:
In Europe, the Eastern Festoon butterfly occurs only from the Balkans to the eastern Mediterranean. In Cyprus its larva has made an interesting choice for its food-plant: the low-climbing herb Aristolochia sempervirens (a species of birthwort).



Whilst relatively widespread, A. sempervirens is not common everywhere on the island. At this date and relatively low altitude the butterfly appeared to have finished flying but its brightly-coloured caterpillar could be found on Aristolochia plants growing by the roadside near Kidasi in the Diarizos valley.



The Aristolochia food-plant with its unusual and highly-specialised, funnel-shaped flowers (above) and the butterfly (below).



Thanks to Yiannis Christophides for providing the photo of the butterfly (its flying period being over at the time of the visit)

PLANT: Cotoneaster induratus, new to Lancashire as a naturally-sown plant

October 17, 2009:
Although in this country Cotoneasters are usually grown as garden plants or for amenity decoration they also often spread into the natural environment when bird sown. This is a result of birds eating the ripe berries, the seed of which passes through them undigested and is later spread into a new habitat via their droppings.



A single magnificent shrub of Cotoneaster induratus was discovered and photographed (above and below) in a semi-natural habitat in a disused limestone quarry near Carnforth. It was laden with bright red berries and was a most attractive sight. Initially there was uncertainty as to its identity until it was confirmed as this species by Mrs Jeanette Fryer. Unfortunately, the quarry is now scheduled for housing development and even though this is the only naturally-grown representative of the species in the county, it is quite likely to be lost soon.





In this species the orbicular bright red fruits are slightly hairy whilst the new leaves and stems are much more so.





Other species of Cotoneaster present at the locality include C. dielsianus, C. horizontalis, C, rehderi and C. simonsii.

LICHEN: Peltigera leucophlebia near Haverthwaite, Cumbria

April 13, 2010:
This is a relatively large and quite striking lichen whose thallus is bright green when wet but becomes duller and browner if dried out.



In Britain it is quite local, often found in upland areas usually overgrowing bryophytes on base-rich substrates. However, photographed here it was in old coppiced woodland close to sea-level on small moss-covered limestone boulders.



Cephalodia (large dark spots) can be seen on the surface of the thallus. These contain a cyanobacterium capable of nitrogen fixation but the presence of any fertile apothecia is rare. Other characteristics are the curly (crisped) margins of the lobes of the thallus which has a white underside with black hairy rhizines.



Tightly crisped lobes are well in evidence



The black rhizines show up well against the white underside of the thallus.



I'm grateful to Jeremy Roberts and David Clarke for details of this locality.

LICHEN: Lobaria virens in Cumbria

April 7, 2008:
A visit to see this interesting lichen. Lobaria virens is an epiphyte which attaches itself to tree bark and whose presence is a classic indicator of ancient woodland. In the British Isles it has a westerly, oceanic distribution and is nowadays mainly found in south-west England, Cumbria, western Scotland, and Ireland. Everywhere however it is scarce or very scarce and is particularly susceptible to atmospheric pollution, especially sulphur dioxide.



It is found on the more acidic-barked trees such as oak and ash. When growing on trees which have become isolated due to woodland felling it may dry out and die off. Lobaria virens also occurs in Scandinavia and in western and southern Europe.



Below, the fruiting bodies (apothecia) can be seen as prominent, slightly concave brown discs.



Below, the small volcano-like protuberances are incipient apothecia which will develop similar to those shown above.



A Cumbrian oak with a large thallus of Lobaria virens. Towards the bottom left of the trunk the related Lobaria pulmonaria can just be seen.



I'm grateful to Mike Porter whose eagle-eye and persistence located the tree and both to him and to Jeremy Roberts for discussions about Lobaria virens.

DRAGONFLY: Some common dragonflies in north-west England

Summer 2008/9:
In north-west England, small lakes and pools in sheltered areas such as those at Leighton Moss, Hawes Water, Foulshaw Moss and Roudsea can be rich in dragonflies during the summer months. Very difficult to photograph in flight, they are much easier at rest if carefully approached. A few commoner ones are shown here.


Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum): Very frequent as its English name implies. It often perches on vegetation, also sometimes on the ground or board walks (as the male below). A mid-late summer flier, often seen until until November.
Photos (below): Haweswater (male red), Roudsea (female, brown)






Black Darter (Sympetrum danae): A frequent percher on vegetation and man-made structures such as gates, fence posts, etc. Flies July-September.
Photos (below): Foulshaw Moss, male (black) and female.






Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum): A prominent percher, often frequenting overgrown watery areas in woodland. Flies June-September.
Photo (below): Foulshaw Moss, male




Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa): Perches with partly open wings, often by shallow ponds. A rather weak flier, seen from July to September.
Photo (below): Foulshaw Moss, male.




Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula): Locally common. Emerges in early Spring and flies until midsummer.
Photo (below): Roudsea, probable female.




Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea): A large, often solitary dragonfly which is seen locally in late summer. It will often approach humans and hover whilst 'inspecting' them.
Photo (below): Leighton Moss, male.

PLANT: A rare endemic wormwood: Artemisia granatensis in Spain

July 1, 1995:
Nowadays, this extremely rare endemic is only occasionally found on the upper peaks of the Sierra Nevada, southern Spain, at altitudes of 3200 metres upwards. Its typical habitat is the stony or gravelly schistose slopes and consolidated scree found there. Commonly known as "manzanilla de la sierra", at one time it was frequent down to 2500 metres but has since been grossly over-collected on a commercial basis. This was by the 'manzanilleros' for its value as a medicinal herb and as an ingredient for the sherry-like aperitif, manzanilla, but the plant can still occasionally be found. In the past, miraculous cures were attributed to it although its main medicinal property was its use in alleviating digestive problems. As it became over-collected and scarce the price rose so that it was often unscrupuously adulterated with wild thyme and other aromatic plants collected from the upper regions of the mountain.



A. granatensis is a small plant with crowded, deeply divided, basal leaves and more entire upper leaves. The inflorescence, which can be up to 10cm tall, bears up to three capitula in a rather crowded, short raceme. The whole plant is covered with a dense, setaceous indumentum which gives it a distinctive silvery-grey, silky appearance. When bruised, the leaves give off a strong but very pleasant aromatic odour.



Artemisia granatensis can still be found on the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada, such as Mulhacen, Puntal de Siete Lagunas, La Alcazaba and, where photographed in early July, on the upper slopes of the Veleta at 3250 metres. It has also been recorded in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada on Buitre and Borrachera in Almeria province.



Above, the barren upper slopes (left centre) below the Veleta summit where A. granatensis was seen and photgraphed.