Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) at Silverdale, Lancashire, and butterflies at Latterbarrow, Cumbria

August 3, 2011:
A small sheltered pool near Silverdale, a known site for Ruddy Darters, was visited for the second time in eight days. Unlike last week when none was seen, this time a single brightly coloured male patrolled the pool margin.


[Ruddy Darter, showing the all-black legs, waisted abdomen and club-shaped tail]

Several Emerald Damselflies perched on the marginal vegetation and two Southern Hawkers flew high amongst the surrounding trees.


[Emerald Damselfly, female. The two diagnostic sub-triangular marks on segment 2 can be seen]

Earlier in the day a visit in ideal conditions to limestone grassland at Latterbarrow was rewarded with a large number of Peacocks nectaring on marjoram along with pristine Red Admirals. Also there was a single Brimstone but it was too late in the season for the Northern Brown Argus which may sometimes be seen here. Of particular interest also, was a nice fresh example of the Small Copper aberration (ab. caeruleopunctata (Tutt)).


[Peacock]



[Red Admiral]


[Brimstone]


[Small Copper ab. caeruleopunctata (Tutt)]

Essex Skippers (Thymelicus lineola) in Derbyshire

July 30:2011:
Over recent years Essex Skippers have gradually spread northwards through England and are now well established in Derbyshire. A visit today to a locality near Willington provided an opportunity to compare the Essex Skipper with the very similar Small Skipper. This was at a large rough grassy field, ideal skipper habitat, with flowering thistles, ragwort, willowherb, clovers and much else. Essex Skippers emerge slightly later in the season than Small Skippers and here they outnumbered the latter by a ratio of at least 3 to 1.


[Skipper field at Willington]

The two species are very similar both in appearance and in habit and are difficult to separate unless a very close view can be gained. The easiest distinguishing character is that the Essex is black on the underside of the antenna clubs, whereas in the Small this is brown-orange. Another difference is that the male Essex has a short line of dark scent scales on the upperside of the forewing which runs parallel to the wing's edge. In the Small Skipper this line is longer and curves slightly away from the wing's edge towards the abdomen. Photos showing these main distinguishing characters along with more general ones of the Essex Skippers are below.


[Essex Skipper showing black on the underside of the antenna clubs]


[Essex Skipper (male) showing the short dark scent scale line running parallel to the forewing edge]


[Small Skipper showing orange-brown on the underside of the antenna clubs]


[Small Skipper (male) showing the longer dark curved scent scale line slightly diverging from the forewing edge]

A few more Essex Skippers photos are below.

Foulshaw Moss and an emerging Common Hawker

July 26, 2011:
Seeing something move deep in the marginal vegetation of a small pool at Foulshaw, a closer view revealed a Common Hawker emerging from its exuvia, the latter falling back into the water before there was the chance of a photograph. The insect then climbed slowly up a stem of Juncus, its wings folded at first but then gradually spread as it came out into full sunlight. Its thorax and abdomen were already developing a dull grey/brown coloration but its wings and pterostigma were completely colourless and translucent; the characteristic costa was, however, discernable. At first, due to its large size, it seemed that it might be an Emperor but the photos showed otherwise. After a few minutes perching in the sunlight it fluttered away into the nearby trees.

Four stages of emergence shown below (bottom upwards)








Also flying here were Black Darters, Four-spotted Chasers, an Emperor, and many Azure aand Emerald Damselflies.


[Black Darter, male]


[Four-spotted Chaser, male]


[Azure Damselfly, male]


[Emerald Damselflies, pair]

Emperors, Hawkers and Darters at Brockholes Wetlands

July 23, 2011:
Being warm and sunny today and with only a mild breeze, this made ideal conditions for dragonflies. There were large numbers of Common Darters flying, most of which were immatures. A male Emperor incessantly patrolled one of the small pools and on the single occasion when it briefly settled, provided an opportunity for a photograph. The damselflies present here were mainly Common Blues.




[Male Emperor]




[Common Darters spent much of the time sunning themelves on nearby alders]

Butterflies in the Peloponnese, Greece (1)

June 18-21, 2011:
Greece is renowned for its rich butterfly fauna with the mountains of the northern Peloponnese being especially favoured. A few days were spent here recently on the slopes of Chelmos at the height of the season and in perfect weather. Some of the species seen are shown here although some families such as the 'blues' and 'skippers' are difficult to identify and will be covered in a second part later.




[Clouded Yellows]

The mountain of Chelmos reaches an altitude of approximately 2400 metres a.s.l. but up to about 1800 metres it can be reached by the surfaced approach road originally constructed for skiing. The middle slopes are heavily afforested with Pinus cephalonica but at around 1700 metres this gives way to the scrub and short dry grassland known as the Xerocampos (dry fields). This latter area, the margins of the approach road, and the glades within the forest, all abound with butterflies. Some were very common here such as Clouded Yellows, Brimstones, and several species of blues. Up on the Xerocampos Glanville and Spotted Fritillaries were flying and the occasional Swallowtail and Camberwell Beauty were seen patrolling higher on the mountain.




[Glanville Fritillaries]




[Spotted Fritillaries, male above, female below]


[Swallowtail]


[Camberwell Beauty]

In one of the glades amongst the pines a beautiful rich-coloured and rare Grecian Copper nectared on a species of Squinancywort, Cleopatras did similarly on the local variant of Common Vetch, whilst a pristine Black-veined White rested close by. On a branch overhanging a stream at lower altitude, a Southern White Admiral sunned itself.


[Grecian Copper, see top photo also]


[Cleopatra, a more colourful relative of the Brimstone]




[Black-veined White]


[Southern White Admiral. Distinguished from the more common White Admiral in having only a single row of marginal spots on the underwide of the wings]


[Forest glade frequented by several species including the Grecian Copper]

Small Red Damselflies (Ceriagrion tenellum) near Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd

July 12, 2011:
A visit to this small acidic lake a month ago resulted in only two Small Red Damselflies being seen; these were vastly outnumbered by the Large Reds flying at the time. Today the situation was reversed and Small Reds were present in good numbers although very localised. They are most easily separated from Large Reds by having red eyes and red legs. They are also smaller and are weak flyers. Male Small Reds and the females of the all-red bodied (f.erythogastrum) are not easy to separate although the latter are more robust. Females of the partially black f.intermedia were also seen here. Emerald Damselflies were emerging whilst at another small lake in the Conwy valley large number of Black Darters were flying.


[Male]


[Pair, female f.intermedia]


[Female, f.erythrogastrum]


[Female, f.intermedia]


[Large Red Damselfly, male]


[Emerald Damselfly, male, acquiring pruinescence]


[Black Darter, Conwy valley]