Dragons, damsels and an elephant

1. White-legged Damselfly, Platycnemis pennipes

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

On Saturday morning I joined a Dragonfly walk at the Old Lodge Sussex Wildlife Trust reserve in Ashdown Forest. It was led by Odonata expert John Luck who proceeded to show us at least 15 species during the day, including several rare ones. The walk was well attended by over 20 people. The weather was kind to us with a light breeze to take the heat away. After a pond side picnic lunch we visited a private house which had ponds and a stream with more rare species. I was pleased to find a Brown-tail moth and see an Elephant Hawk-moth larva chomping on Himalayan Balsam. Our hosts then kindly gave us a tea with home made scones, tea, coffee and cake! This fabulous trip was appreciated by everyone.

I photographed 15 species.

* indicates a new species for me

+ indicates acid habitat specialist

Azure Damselfly

Black Darter *+

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Brown Hawker *

Common Darter

Emerald Damselfly

Emperor Dragonfly

Four-spotted Chaser

Golden-ringed Dragonfly +

Keeled Skimmer *+

Migrant Hawker

Ruddy Darter

Small Red Damselfly *+

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

White-legged Damselfly

SWT reserve ponds:

2. male Black Darter, Sympetrum danae

3. male Black Darter, Sympetrum danae

4. immature Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans -
note the green striped thorax cf. mature male which is blue

5. immature male Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum

6. Common Darters mating, Sympetrum striolatum

7. Emerald Damselfly, male, Lestes sponsa

8. Emperor Dragonfly, female, Anax imperator

9. Four-spotted Chaser, Libellula quadrimaculata

10. Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Cordulegaster boltonii

11. female Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens

12. female Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens

13. male Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens

14. male Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens

15. female Leafhopper, Cicadella viridis 

16. Lemon-scented Fern, Oreopteris limbospera -
an acid habitat specialist

17. Lemon-scented Fern, Oreopteris limbosperma

18. Migrant Hawker, Aeshna mixta

19. Migrant Hawker, Aeshna mixta

20. freshly emerged female Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum

21. acid pond

22

23

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25. our leader

26. male Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum

27. male Ruddy Darter, Sympetrum sanguineum

28. Small Red Damselfly, Ceriagrion tenellum

29. Small Red Damselfly, Ceriagrion tenellum

Private ponds:

30. Azure Damselfly, Coenagrion puella

31. Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans

32. Brown Hawker egg-laying, Aeshna grandis 

33. Brown Hawker egg-laying, Aeshna grandis

34. female Yellow-tail, Euproctis similis

35. female Yellow-tail, Euproctis similis

36. Elephant Hawk-moth larva, Deilephila elpenor on Himalayan Balsam

37.

38. Elephant Hawk-moth larva, Deilephila elpenor on Himalayan Balsam

39. Azure Damselflies mating, Coenagrion puella
with Small Red-eyed Damselflies mating in background

40. Small Red-eyed Damselflies mating, Erythromma viridulum

41. male Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans

42. male Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Erythromma viridulum