 |
| fem. Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum |
 |
| Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum |
Monday 29 August 2022
August Bank Holiday .. back garden encounters
Sunday 28 August 2022
Willow Emerald (Chalcolestes viridis L.), Buchan Country Park
Willow Emerald was first recorded in the Park in 2019, when a volunteer found the species, at Boundary Pond. Sightings have been sporadic since then.
However, in the last 5 days, this species has been seen twice. The first time by S at Boundary Pond. This afternoon, I was really chuffed to find an individual, on the Target Hill "triangle" path.
Saturday 27 August 2022
Of dragons and Damsels ..
 |
| Common Darter 27th Aug 2022 |
A Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is photographed in the garden, resting on the side of the water-butt pond. It will stay most of the morning. Later, I set about clearing the filamentous green alga from both ponds.
I remove the alga in small clumps. Wash it gently in a small tub of clear pond water, remove as many of the aquatic invertebrates as is possible, from the sticky algal grasp. Once washed the alga is left to drain on the side of the pond(s), prior to disposal.
It is encouraging to see how much motile life, exists within these ponds - aquatic worms; ramshorn and other pond snails; daphnia; chironomids; mayfly nymphs. Along with those critters that remain a complete mystery to me?
In one of the small wash cycles, I observe a couple of nymphs who are both touting three tails, they do not not look right for mayfly nymph?
Transferring them to the shallow top of a specimen bottle, we view them under the dissecting microscope, and confirm that they are damselfly nymphs.
To date we have only recorded two species of damselfly in the garden: Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella), and Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) - so it is likely that these nymphs belong to one (or both?) of these species.
Add to this the recent discovery of the dragonfly nymph (Sympetrum cf striolatum), and it bodes well for the water-butt pond as a wildlife habitat, if it is able to attract and support these predators.
It is encouraging to see how much motile life, exists within these ponds - aquatic worms; ramshorn and other pond snails; daphnia; chironomids; mayfly nymphs. Along with those critters that remain a complete mystery to me?
In one of the small wash cycles, I observe a couple of nymphs who are both touting three tails, they do not not look right for mayfly nymph?
Transferring them to the shallow top of a specimen bottle, we view them under the dissecting microscope, and confirm that they are damselfly nymphs.
To date we have only recorded two species of damselfly in the garden: Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella), and Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) - so it is likely that these nymphs belong to one (or both?) of these species.
 |
| damselfly nymphs 27th Aug 2022 |
Add to this the recent discovery of the dragonfly nymph (Sympetrum cf striolatum), and it bodes well for the water-butt pond as a wildlife habitat, if it is able to attract and support these predators.
Next year, I will be looking out for exuviae, in the hope that the ponds remain suitable to bring these species to maturity.
Bragging to R on Whatsapp about the damsel nymphs, the retort is a photo of Willow Emerald (Chalcolestes viridis), a LIFER that R has just seen, at a site in Hertfordshire. By coincidence this is the second time this week, that Willow Emerald had been drawn to my attention.
S had photographed a specimen at Buchan Country Park on Thursday. So I have decided to take a good long look for it, when next in the Park.
Bragging to R on Whatsapp about the damsel nymphs, the retort is a photo of Willow Emerald (Chalcolestes viridis), a LIFER that R has just seen, at a site in Hertfordshire. By coincidence this is the second time this week, that Willow Emerald had been drawn to my attention.
S had photographed a specimen at Buchan Country Park on Thursday. So I have decided to take a good long look for it, when next in the Park.
Thursday 11 August 2022
A new garden butterfly ..
Following the introduction of scraps of wildflower turf into the back garden, we have enjoyed successive years with "home-grown" Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) gracing the lawn. They are often seen - brand spanking new - on the day that they emerge. Our max. daily count to date has been 3 individuals.
I always check them carefully, never assuming that they are all Essex - but for the past five summers that has always been the case.
However, today, I noted a single skipper arrive and it went straight to nectar on the Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber).
I gave the butterfly a quick scan, and there was just something different about it's jizz? It definitely needed a closer look!
Grabbing my camera from the house, I knew I was risking the butterfly moving to another part of the garden, or worse still leaving the garden altogether - and being unable to relocate it. Not trusting my poor eyes alone, I needed a photo to clinch it.
My risk paid off, the skipper was still imbibing from the same plant, and I was able to get a decent close-up, and confirm that my gut instinct was right, and that it was indeed a Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).
This new arrival, brings my garden butterfly list up to 20 species.
I always check them carefully, never assuming that they are all Essex - but for the past five summers that has always been the case.
However, today, I noted a single skipper arrive and it went straight to nectar on the Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber).
I gave the butterfly a quick scan, and there was just something different about it's jizz? It definitely needed a closer look!
Grabbing my camera from the house, I knew I was risking the butterfly moving to another part of the garden, or worse still leaving the garden altogether - and being unable to relocate it. Not trusting my poor eyes alone, I needed a photo to clinch it.
My risk paid off, the skipper was still imbibing from the same plant, and I was able to get a decent close-up, and confirm that my gut instinct was right, and that it was indeed a Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).
This new arrival, brings my garden butterfly list up to 20 species.
Friday 5 August 2022
Enter the Dragon .. (Reprise)
It has been a quiet year to date for Odanata in the garden. On the 8th of July a male Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) was noted resting on the Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) at the water-butt pond. It was only seen that once.
On the 1st of August, a Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) was holding territory using the back of the garden chair as a lookout post. This encounter transpired to be an all but brief affair too, with only a single day's activity observed, before it disappeared from the garden.
Throughout this heat-wave, both small ponds have required continous top-up and much attention has been given to removal by hand, of the filamentous green alga which threatens to completely cover the surface of the ponds.
During the course of one such clearing, I was delighted to find a dragonfly nymph (Sympetrum cf striolatum), in the water-butt pond.
On the 1st of August, a Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) was holding territory using the back of the garden chair as a lookout post. This encounter transpired to be an all but brief affair too, with only a single day's activity observed, before it disappeared from the garden.
Throughout this heat-wave, both small ponds have required continous top-up and much attention has been given to removal by hand, of the filamentous green alga which threatens to completely cover the surface of the ponds.
During the course of one such clearing, I was delighted to find a dragonfly nymph (Sympetrum cf striolatum), in the water-butt pond.
 |
| water-butt pond |
 |
| Azure damselfy |
 |
| Common Darter |
 |
| Sympetrum cf striolatum nymph 5th Aug 2022 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)