Small Copper & Dragonfly

[speckled wood]

Another summer's day in South Cheshire saw a Red Admiral, a very battered and torn Small Copper and a Dragonfly, uncertain of the species will post a pic later.

[Wild-Woman]

Still lots of RA's here. Must have seen a dozen or so driving home too. Amazing. It's been a good year for them I think.

[carlj]

Already mentioned that at Doncaster yesterday, dozens of Dragons still on wing, and also couples egg laying. Global warming - what global warming?

[speckled wood]

This is the Dragonfly, as said I am unsure of the species so would be grateful for an id .... seen near BB's old railway line near Alsager.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...2/9/Dragon.jpg

[Deer Stalker]

Looks like an old Common Darter.

[Fourwings]

Its certainly been an exceptional season for Dragonflies, firstly we had a large invasion of migrant species from the near continent in the form of Red-Veined & Yellow-winged Darters and Lesser Emperors as well as the incredible appearance of Southern Migrant Hawker at a couple of sites on the South coast.
We also witnessed the truely huge range expansion in the uk population of Small Red-Eyed Damselfly, extending its range from Bedfordshire & Warwickshire to as far North as Northumberland in the space of only a few weeks!

Now people all over the UK are still reporting breeding activity in the remaining populations of Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers. I myself counted over a dozen coupled pairs of Common Darters on Sunday as well as witnessing at least four of these pairs actually ovipositing(egg-laying). I also noted that a number of the Common Darters looked in remarkably good condition suggesting that they may have only emerged in the last week or two!

I think you will find that the first proper frosts will put an end to most of this unusually late activity, still at least we wont have quite so long to wait until the Dragons take to the air again next Spring!

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by speckled wood

This is the Dragonfly, as said I am unsure of the species so would be grateful for an id .... seen near BB's old railway line near Alsager.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...2/9/Dragon.jpg

Its a very old over-mature female Common Darter, nice image by the way.

[carlj]

Quite agree - yesterday, first sighting, pair of Common Darters ovipositing - and a merry dance it was too. First close up was of an old male, but quite a few newies (is that a word?) on show too.

[speckled wood]

Originally Posted by Deer Stalker

Looks like an old Common Darter.

Thanks DS, I have just looked at one of Fourwing's images and it looks like what you have suggested.