I visited Bannerdown near Batheaston today and got caught in a downpour, having snapped just a single small skipper. Fortunately I took an umbrella. There were plenty of marbled whites, ringlets and meadow browns between the showers. I then trawled Hazelbury common, again seeing marbled white, ringlet, meadow brown, small skipper and six spot burnet. I had a brief glimpse of a dark green fritillary plus my first male gatekeeper of the year. A small copper completed the set.
Back to my local patch at Willsbridge I did a transect for the AWT finding red admiral (3), comma (4), green veined white (1), small white (1), speckled wood (1), holly blue (1), ringlet (1), meadow brown (2), beautiful demoiselle (3), southern hawker (1), common darter (1).
Then on my way home I spotted a holly blue flitting around a bare patch of earth. They often take nutrients this way when the ground is wet. I watched it for a minute or so then it flew up onto a leaf, opened its wings and basked! And here it is, a male, and I'm pleased as punch. Another nice local spot.
Holly blue male
Very nice picture!
Do you know your dragonflies, because if so perhaps you can help me out. I mentioned a few days ago I saw a White-Letter Hairstreak in Bushey Norwood field, and there were also lots of dragonflies around. One of them I can't recognise from any picture in Collin's guide to British Insects. Any ideas? It was on the same brambles as the WLH.
This is what originally caught my eye. I've been back a couple of times since without a repeat sighting.
Simon
Do you know your dragonflies, because if so perhaps you can help me out. I mentioned a few days ago I saw a White-Letter Hairstreak in Bushey Norwood field, and there were also lots of dragonflies around. One of them I can't recognise from any picture in Collin's guide to British Insects. Any ideas? It was on the same brambles as the WLH.
This is what originally caught my eye. I've been back a couple of times since without a repeat sighting.
Simon
That's a female scarce chaser. They have had a hot spot on the Avon around Keynsham for a number of years, but judging by your sighting they are finding their way further upriver. Good news for this species although maybe not so good for the WLH which is potential prey. Many dragonflies, especially females, will spend time hunting well away from water, returning to mate and lay eggs.
According to http://www.wiltshiredragonflies.org.uk/, they occur patchily up the Avon as far as Melksham, notably around Bradford-on-Avon.
The species has spread considerably in the last few years and if this continues might be due a change of name.
The species has spread considerably in the last few years and if this continues might be due a change of name.