Brown Hawkers, etc.

First Brown Hawkers of the year were on the wing at the weekend. I had two along the Nene north of Elton on Sunday along with plentiful White-legged Damselflies and Banded Demoiselles.

The following species were showing nicely at Jones' Covert today and nearby an Emperor was seen devouring a Common Darter.

Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa, female


Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum, immature male


© Brian Stone

Small Red-eyed Damsels on Farcet Fen

Steve Dudley has just reported discovery of Small Red-eyed Damsels on Farcet Fen. This is terrific news!

Steve has just sent me the above photo he took of a pair ovispositing . For full details see his site at http://toadsnatcher.blogspot.com/
Max

Variable Damselfly, Maxey GP

Very few odonata about at all today but this pair were very obliging and are my first at this site I think. Otherwise very small numbers of Banded Demoiselles, Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselflies in dull, windy and cool conditions.

Variable Damselfly Coenagrion pulchellum


© Brian Stone

Darters Emerge

Recorded my first Ruddy Darter of the year at Jones' Covert today along with a few more Common Darters. All were teneral.

Note that the first Red-veined Darters were reported three days ago at Maxey GP on 19th June.

White-legged Damselfly

Another search of the Elton Water Meadows area revealed nothing new but the cooler conditions made the White-legs even more obliging.

White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes

© Brian Stone

Variable Damselfly, Woodston Ponds

Another new site for this species, for me at least. The damsels were along the boardwalk in an area of dense nettle with greater burdock under the willows by the Nene, accompanied by a single Azure, a few Blue-tailed and a couple of Banded Demoiselles.

The first one I picked up was nowhere near as obvious as the one pictured here and had almost complete antehumerals and an indistinct bar joining the segment two mark to segment three.

Variable Damselfly Coenagrion pulchellum, Male


Id features include 'wine glass' mark at top of abdomen, broken 'exclamation mark' antehumeral stripes and thin post-ocular bar.


© Brian Stone

Elton scarcities

Cracking cast of odonata along the Nene south of Elton Lock today:
Banded Demoiselle, abundant
Large Red-eyed Damselfly, many
Blue-tailed Damselfly, many
Common Blue Damselfly, one pair in cop
White-legged Damselfy, 6, at least with 2 pairs ovipositing on floating vegetation
Hairy Dragonfly, 2
Emperor, 2
Scarce Chaser, 2
Black-tailed Skimmer, 6

White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes



Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum


Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans


female, rufescens form


© Brian Stone