Garden listing incl. Odanata

Odonata sightings have continued throughout this last period, with both Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum), and Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) making one day only appearances on the 18th and 19th of July, respectively.

Common Darter

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Also, on the 18^th Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) made it on to the garden list when I observed a single male flying over the wildflower lawn. The visit was short-lived, and the dragonfly has not reappeared again since then.

On the 21^st of July when carefully cleaning green algae from New Pond provided an opportunity to observe both damselfly nymphs and a dragonfly nymph cast.

Damselfly nymph

Dragonfly nymph exuvia

Other recent and interesting additions to the garden list have included two stonking flies. The Banded General (Stratiomys potamida) on the 26^th of June, and Dark Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus) on the 13^th of July.

Banded General

Dark Giant Horsefly

Two new Odanata species added to the Garden List

This month has seen two new Odonata species added to the garden list – bringing the total to six species recorded to date.

On the 2nd a single Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) was hawking over the grassland – and by the 11th at least four individuals were present comprising two pairs in cop. on both New Pond and Bucket Pond respectively.

An immature Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) spent the 14th patrolling the three small ponds and roosting at length on a bamboo cane standing in a nearby flowerpot. Early in the morning a teneral Large Red was drying out on the Japanese Maple (Acer cultivar) behind New Pond and later three full coloured Large Reds were present incl. a pair in cop.

The following day I found three Large Red exuvia attached to the Slender Clubrush (Isolepsis cernua) in New Pond.

Having returned from our Norway trip yesterday, I spent most of today in the back garden and saw another pair of Large Red in cop. I searched for more exuvia across all three ponds but did not find any.

Large Red Damselfly pair in cop. 11th May

Large Red Damsefly 14th May

teneral Large Red Damselfly 14th May

Broad-bodied Chaser 14th May

Large Red Damselfly exuvia 15th May

Ancient Oak Trail, Severnake Forest

Inspired by an entry in Wootton Rivers (Cowley D. and Cowley J. illustrated by Swift A., undated, self published), A and I set off for Savernake Forest to explore the ancient and veteran oaks (Quercus robur sp.).

We walked Ca. 13.5km in just over 4.5hrs. following the trail guide available at:

The Savernake Tree Trail

Afterwards we had a lovely dinner at the aptly named:

The Royal Oak