More Dragons

With the weather set fair how could you stay indoors? A swift phone call to Martin asking if he would care to go on a hunt for Black-tailed Skimmers and Red-eyed Damsels? Within 45 minutes we were on the road. First stop - an undisclosed location in deepest Sussex. As soon as we arrived the Black-tailed were obvious, lower numbers than last year but plenty of buzzing going on. We put out perches but they seem to prefer the pondside rocks, definitely territorial as the males returned to the same rock time after time, great for shot preparation.  We observed several mated pairs but I only managed to locate a single ovipositing female.

The Red-eyed Damsels were tightly located on only one patch of lily pads, most of the time keeping their distance, occasionally perching close enough for a shot.

Mission accomplished - as we made our way back to the car to go in search of Common Goldenrings out on the commons, this beetle posed well enough for a shot, not sure what it is but will conduct some post blog research and update.

Well it turns out to be a Spotted Longhorn or Harlequin Longhorn beetle, Strangalia maculata,  a new one for me!

I had located 5 Goldenrings on a previous visit but today they were absent, However, eagle eyed Martin spotted a couple of Emperors circling at a higher altitude, a single Banded Demoiselle female flitted through the woods at the edge of the common and that was it.

On the way home we called in at Stopham Bridge where we found plenty of Banded Demoiselles in the bankside vegetation, any females that showed were chased mercilessly by the males. Just below the bridge a single Southern Hawker? patrolled the river but did not come close enough for any sort of photograph.

Mobbed!

Genteel

Perfect harmony!

Thanks Martin - another great outing.