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The last record?....

Well maybe? S. Barlow was at Brown Moss on Friday 20th November and saw a male Common Darter- and hover flies and wasps and a butterfly- all fairly extraordinary for November! It's my guess that the last couple of days will bring the dragon and damselfly flight season to a close....but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Darters at Whixall

Well incredibly with only 5 1/2 weeks till Xmas we have darters on the wing at Whixall! S. Barlow was there yesterday (16th Nov) and not only saw 3 darters, but far from being worn out individuals they were exhibiting territorial behaviour -as Stephen put it 'fighting in mid November' is not what we expect!

The male Common Darter is shown here. The other 2 individuals may well have been the same species as this is usually the last on the wing, however Stephen suspects one may have been a Black Darter. These late records are really quite extraordinary so please do keep me posted with any sightings.

Common Darter hanging on....

Another late record -this time a Common Darter seen by P. Spear near Coalbrookdale yesterday -15th November! It's still relatively mild albeit soggy, but there's definitely the chance of later sightings....

Hawkers still on the wing!!

Well one anyway! Reported in today Nov 12th by J. Cresswell - a hawker seen flying in Ironbridge. Migrant Hawker appears to be the most likely suspect based on observations and at first glance there have been no previous November records for this species. The weather over the next 24hrs may end the season, but please do let me know of any other sightings.

Autumn activity

Still a few records coming in so if weather and time permit it's worth keeping an eye out for our later species. Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum have been seen recently by J.Groom at Devil's Dingle near Telford and also by A. Pickles at Preston Montford Field Centre as shown below:

 

P.Spear has also been back to Eardington NR on 20th October and saw numerous Common Darter copulating and ovipositing:

 

 

 

A passing Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea wa also seen and a female Common Hawker Aeshna juncea ovipositing: 

 

 

This could be a good year for some exceptionally late sightings so do please keep me posted.

 

October records

Good to report late sightings of a number of species. P. Spear was back at Eardington NR on 2nd October and saw:

Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans

Common Hawker Aeshna cyanea (with fabulous view of yellow costa)

and Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa.

 

A later visit on 9th October was also rewarded with further Common Hawker sightings, Common Darter and the fabulous Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea seen below: