Bigger Game

A brief 45 minute jaunt to the pond on a fine Tuesday lunchtime produced several Large Red damselflies, including 3 pairs in tandem across the water.

Large Red Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly

Better still was the all-too-fleeting glimpses of nervous teneral Four-spotted Chasers – a total of eight sightings, although there may have been duplicates. A couple of immature Broad-bodied Chasers were more obliging.

Broad-bodied Chaser
Broad-bodied Chaser

Afterwards Sue & I headed over to Bentley Wood where a reasonable amount of Large Reds have emerged. There were a few adorning the foliage, and a great deal of spent exuvia among the reeds.

Large Red Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly

Elsewhere in the New Forest and Dorset, Downy Emeralds have been observed and photographed, bringing the current total to eight species seen on the wing so far this Spring.