Once again we’ve been spoiled by a fortnight of glorious temperatures which kick-started the emergence of many species across the south and elsewhere, but things appear to have come to a juddering halt around here for now.
I thought a shower might raise the Demoiselles, but already we’re a fortnight behind last year’s emergence; which is probably normal. The foliage is growing nicely, offering much needed shelter, but where management has been, shall we say, a tad severe, the situation is a tad bleak.
A return visit to Titchfield on Monday should have produced an improvement on the previous week, but all I could muster this time around were a couple each of Large Red and Blue-tailed.
My second visit this season to Cadnam Common at least provided me with a couple of flighty Broad-bodied Chasers. Flighty enough to elude me, and eager as I was to chase them across bog and moor, they’ll be plenty more to choose from soon.
A welcome splash of rain is giving me chance to step back a little; a little over-eager as usual so soon in the season. The frost yesterday morning should have warned me to stay indoors, but I couldn’t refuse the sunshine regardless of the temperature.
As it was I found nothing at Swanwick Nature Reserve and little else (except Large Red and Blue-tailed) at Pennington, Crockford (Large Red) or Hatchet Moor (Large Red again).
I could dig deeper and spend hours looking for hidden treasures, but is it worth it? Best wait another week at least, or certainly until the mercury rises above 15C, the wind drops and there is plenty to get my teeth into 🙂