Chasers

The warm sunny weather has seen the damselflies and dragonflies hatch and they can be seen not only around the ponds but also in many of the sunny glades.  Walking across the moor something large flew.  On being told to settle it did!  It was a Four-spotted Chaser.

Plover's Pool provides the exact habitat for many 'damsels aand dragons'.  Broad-bodied Chasers were certainly living up to their name as they hawked across the water.  Some of the males were obviously looking for food, whilst others were looking for females.  The male is blue,

whilst the female is golden yellow.  Not a very good photograph but you can just see the female through the vegetation.  She was dipping her abdomen into the water as she laid eggs.

It has been reported from several people that butterfly numbers are very low.  When walking around the reserve a butterfly does tend to be noticed.  One flew across the path and initial thought was a Painted Lady, a migrant species.  Very carefully a closer look was needed, but this was not easy as it was flying from one flower to another, feeding.  Eventually, a photograph decent enough for identification, was taken and ID was confirmed.  When these butterflies arrive they tend to be pale, but if they breed here and butterflies emerge, then these are much brighter in colour. 

The moth trap yielded a good catch, including this beautiful Small Angle Shades.  The larvae can feed on Bracken and other ferns.