Yesterday saw the first Large Red Damselfly emerge in my garden.The container on my patio produced this emergent pictured below and was closely followed by another.Meanwhile at my garden pond I saw a first Broad-bodied Chaser flutter away from the pond margin.
A morning visit to the old pond at Bouldnor Forest today was rewarded with at least 6 teneral Large Red Damselflies.All were observed fluttering away from the pond margins to the safety of the surrouding trees and bushes.
After a few days of poor weather the sun was out today and two first of the season sightings were made at Bouldnor Forest ponds. A very small number of Common Darter were recorded around a couple of the ponds and this was followed by a lone female Black-tailed Skimmer. Other species seen; Broad-bodied Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly , Azure and Large Red Damselfly.
For the last three years or so a 50cm diameter tub on my patio has produced many damselflies.This year is no exception with so far over twenty Large Red and Azure Damselflies emerging up through the water lily.At first they had to cling to the side of the tub just above the water level but for the last couple of seasons there are several sticks which has now become there preferred exit.
It seems that this season the emergence of Large Red Damselflies has been up to two weeks later than usual. However now that the summer weather is with us for a while I have had many teneral Large Reds in my garden.These have come from my pond and a container that has produced Large Reds for a couple of years now.The photos below show a female emerging from the container.
A visit to the ponds in Bouldnor Forest today was rewarded with the first Common Darter of the year.At least two were observed flying away from the pond edge and into the surrounding gorse. Broad-bodied Chasers were also evident with several males occupying the array of shallow ponds at the site. This male Four-spotted Chaser was seen,patrolling his section of a pond. Other species recorded were Azure,Large Red, and Blue Tailed Damselflies.
We are currently enjoying a period of warm,sunny weather and the dragonflies are responding with plenty of activity at my garden pond. Apart from the Large Red Damselflies there were at least two Broad-bodied Chasers seen today in the garden. Both were female and they spent some time in sunny spots and at the pond.
Since a first sighting of a Large Red Damselfly in Bouldnor Forest on the 8th of April,the weather has been cool and windy.However today the brisk winds have gone and that has allowed the temperatures to rise in the spring sunshine. As a result the first damselfly was observed in my Freshwater garden this morning. This immature male Large Red probably emerged from the pond next door seeking a warm sunny spot.
The mild temperatures of the last several days prompted me to pay a first visit of the season to the ponds at Bouldnor near to Yarmouth. At the old pond it was not too long before I counted four teneral Large Red Damselflies that I disturbed from the reeds around the pond edge. They quickly fluttered into the shrubbery and out of sight Walking to the new ponds in the forest I was fortunate enough to encounter another teneral Large Red.He did not fly away at once and the individual can be seen below.
In my first post of 2023 I mentioned that my garden pond had become clogged with vegetation leading to a substantial decline in dragonfly activity. Therefore over the winter I performed a clearout of plants and now the pond boasts open water with marginal reed,cotton grass and frogbit Hydrocharis morsus-ranae. The latter is much used by ovipositing damselflies and I have noted a lot of egg laying by Large Red and Azure Damselflies over the last few weeks.
For the first time in some years this male Broad-bodied Chaser took up station at the pond today and over the last fortnight I have recorded several female Chasers ovipositing into the open water.
With the settled and warm sunny weather due to continue for another week at least,the dragonflies at Bouldnor Forest today were out and about. The damselflies seen at the ponds included Azure,Large Red,and Blue-tailed while dragonflies were two male Four-spotted Chasers, Emperor Dragonflies,one of which was an ovipositing female, Broad-bodied Chasers,and several teneral Common Darters. Close by, along the forest tracks were two Southern Hawkers.
A first seasonal visit to Bouldnor Forest ponds at Yarmouth today discovered a reasonable selection of species. Broad-bodied Chasers were of course very evident with several mature males flying over the ponds.However in the quieter spots just away from water one or two immature chasers were encountered and particularly this male starting to take on the blue abdomen. Competition was fierce at one of the ponds with not only Broad-bodied Chasers but also a male Emperor Dragonfly involved.This was too much for this male Four-spotted Chaser that took station over a small side pool away from all the action.
Recorded today at the site were 6 Emperor,7 Broad-bodied Chasers,Azure and Large Red Damselflies,together with a Blue-tailed Damselfly violacea, and of particular interest was a teneral Common Darter.
Several Large Red Damselflies have appeared in my garden, emerging not only from my garden pond but also from an established pond next door. The following photo shows one such immature that was seen today.
My pond was created in 2010 and over that time it had become clogged with many pond plants. It seems that this has led to much less activity regarding dragonflies as well as damselflies. Therefore over the winter most of the plants were thinned and cleared and now the photograph below shows a rather bare looking pond. However, several bunches of Hornwort have been added and the Frogbit has again returned. Both are good oxygenators and popular with the wildlife.
A first visit of the year to Bouldnor Old Pond at Yarmouth today produced my first damselfly of the season. I disturbed a teneral female Large Red Damselfly in the reeds at the edge of the pond and it fluttered past me into a bramble thicket. Not surprisingly despite a quick search I was unable to relocate it. This was the only sighting of the day but no doubt it will be the first of many Large Red's seen in the coming days.
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A walk around the ponds in Bouldnor Forest,Yarmouth today was rewarded with my first dragonfly of the season. Along a narrow path leading away from the ponds bordered by gorse,I came across this immature female Broad-bodied Chaser enjoying the warm sunshine.This was one of two Broad-bodied seen ,as later I disturbed a teneral from pondside vegetation. Particularly noticeable today were damselflies,with numerous Large Red's and several Azure.
The beautiful spring weather of today was rewarded with the first sightings of Large Red Damselflies at the Old Pond in Bouldnor Forest. At least six individuals were disturbed from the pondside grasses and they quickly fluttered up into the trees. However this female took time to enjoy the warm sunshine on a wooden fence post before disappearing into the wood.
It was a retracing of steps today with another visit to Bouldnor Forest ponds. The main attraction yet again, were the Broad-bodied Chasers with six adult males, two females, and another two ovipositing females. Large Red and Azure Damselflies completed the count.
At Brighstone Mill stream the first mature adult male Beautuiful Demoiselle was 'dancing' over the stream with just one female seen away from the water. However a female Banded was also noted at the water's edge.
A return visit this afternoon to Brighstone Mill stream discovered my first sight of a Banded Demoiselle this year. This immature female was the only Banded to be seen, together with just three Beautiful Demoiselles.
Earlier in the day the ponds at Bouldnor Forest produced several Broad-bodied Chasers and a blue form Common Blue Damselfly. With the exception of a few Large Red Damselflies no other species were recorded.
There was no doubt that this particular female Large Red emerged from my garden pond today. She was found clinging to the reed stem with the larval case a few inches below. I hope that it is the first of many to emerge from the pond this season.
At my pond today was the first damselfly to be seen in the garden this year. A female Large Red Damselfly was spotted sitting on a bamboo leaf and with no evidence of it emerging from my pond I wonder if she came from the established pond next door. Either way, a welcome sight.
