A visit was made to Wakehurst Place to get a ticket to visit the Loder valley yesterday, specifically to see Dragonflies and Damselflies. From the walkway in the wetlands area of Wakehurst Place a dragonfly was flying up and down. Taking pictures of such a fast-flying insect is pot luck for me. One hopes that one or two images might show something almost in focus.
My initial identification was incorrect and this has now been confirmed by Adrian at the British Dragonfly Society as a Male Downy Emerald Dragonfly,
Cordulia aenea. Click here for more info' on the Downy Emerald. Thanks Adrian.
Click on any picture to expand it.
According to the "Field Guide to the Draonflies & Danselflies of Great Britain and Ireland" by Steve Brooks and Steve Cham, the Male Downy Emerald Dragonfly larvae live for two to three years on the bottom of sheltered woodland ponds, lakes and canals, feeding in coarse leaf litter close to the water margin. This is exactly the habitat here.
Click here for more info' on the British Dragonfly Society and these amazing insects.
And
click here for details of the National Trust's Wakehurst Place.
My illustrated nature talks now include a module on Damselflies and Dragonflies. For more info' on my talks please
click here
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