www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

A visit to Studland Heath in Dorset produced this which I suspect may be a Narrow-bordered bee Hawk Moth

I was unable to identify the dragonfly that was pictured at the same site


If anyone is able to assit by confirming the id of either please?
Any help with these gratefully received

Many Thanks Nigel

The second one looks like this.

Yes, the fly is Bombylius sp. and not a moth (note the lack of antennae).

The dragonfly looks like a female Black-tailed Skimmer to me, but from this angle I'm not 100%.
Alexander

Thank you
I never thought it was a type of fly, but yes you are correct it certainly looks like the Bee Fly pictured in the link.

Thanks for your help Nigel

The dragonfly is a young ruddy darter female. Nice pic.

I think the Dragon fly is a Common Darter

The all black legs point to ruddy darter rather than common. But how do you know it's immature, Eccles? I'm a beginner with dragonflies.

Guy

Hi all,
I'm close to complete agreement with Eccles, except I think it's more likely an immature male (strange I know, given that it will soon develop blood red colouration!). But it's 100% Ruddy Darter, as diagnosed by the totally black legs and orange patches at the wing bases. The outrageous colour changes of (particularly) immature males make dragonfly I.D. far more tricky than it might first appear, since most good sites tend to illustrate 'typical', adult colouration for each sex. Males often intially look more like females (see also species such as Scarce Chaser), but looking at the profile of the abdomenal tip I think it's male. But Ruddy Darter for sure.
Neil

Hi Nigel,
That's the Heath Bee-fly, Bombylius minor. It's very rare too! A UK BAP species which is restricted to a handful of sites, this being one of its strongholds. Great find!
Neil

Looking at the colour of the darter's pterostigma (which look black to me, or is it the light?) I was wondering what the reasons are for it not being a Black Darter, which also has totally black legs and orange patches at the wing bases
Polly

Hi Polly,
A female (or immature male) Black Darter has more extensive and bolder black markings on the sides of both the thorax and abdomen, giving an overall darker appearance. The orange hue at the base of the wings is also more pronounced in the Ruddy Darter. Can see what you're thinking though - easy they ain't!
Neil

I shall second Neil's ID of Bombylius minor. A female. Good call Mr.H.

Very similar in appearance to Bombylius canescens but this (excellent) photo clearly shows B. minor's pale hair around the antennae and cheek area. In canescens they are predominantly black. Time of year is also a reasonable indicator, but can not be used as a sure means of ID. Bombylius minor is a parasite of solitary bees, mainly of the genus Colletes.

Man, I love flies!

Felix.

A big thank you to everyone who has commented, I can see why I find dragonfly ID so very hard, I have many many more pictures of unidentified species than I do of positive ID ones despite the fact that I own a good Dragonfly book.

As for the Heath Bee-fly, I am very pleased to see and photograph it.
If anyone is down that way it was at grid SZ 023 844 (allthough obviously no guarentees it is still about)

and another picture from a slightly different angle.

Many Thanks Nigel
www.nigelspencer.co.uk

Polly wrote:A female (or immature male) Black Darter has more extensive and bolder black markings on the sides of both the thorax and abdomen, giving an overall darker appearance. The orange hue at the base of the wings is also more pronounced in the Ruddy Darter. Can see what you're thinking though - easy they ain't!

Thanks for the explanation Neil - now that you mention it I can see the difference, with the dark markings being so much more extensive.

I still stick with young female ruddy. Older females tend to be less bright yellow.
It is a female because:
it has no visible secondary genitalia. Difficult to see though where obscured by the wings.
It has short tail claspers. Males' are longer. All the better to hang onto your neck my dear.
It has a vulvar spur, near the tip of the abdomen, just visible.