Scarce Chaser is having a good year. For example in the Bidford-on Avon area Mick Schilling started off with the earliest ever sighting in the county on 20^th May at Barton-on-Avon. This is two days earlier than the previous first sighting. The first image shows the bug. The second image is a pair mating photographed the following day.

There is also a sighting for the population at Charlecote. John Carter photographed a female on 31^st May.
The two areas, Bidford and Charlecote, were known but the first sightings occurred on even and odd years. The larvae normally take two years to mature and emerge and for a few years the even/odd cycle persisted. Now they are both appearing every(?) year in both areas.

The map on species page show the locations of all the sightings.

This year is proving something special for the Beautiful Demoiselle During May a lot of Beautiful Demoiselles were reported from thirteen different locations in the county and at two sites, Bubbenhall Wood and Spernall Park, they were first records. They were also seen in a few gardens.
At the Outspan the species, both males and females, have been regular visitors, almost resident. Our theory is that they are roosting here overnight and then feeding before returning to the Leam about a mile away. Certainly, they have been in greater numbers than previous years.
Five images of individuals are shown, the first two appear below in Very early occurrences of Beautiful Demoiselle. Follow this link to the Records Display page to see the locations of the records and their recorder and also see the map on the species page.

We should look out for more of this species, as it appears to be spreading its range and habitat - where will it turn up next?

The early flying Hairy Dragonflies were reported below on 24^th April.

To date, a further nine records have been received. The third image shows a male,feeding on what looks like a Thick Headed Fly. It was photographed at the Swift Valley Reserve, Rugby by Paul Banks.
This is the first record of Hairy Dragonfly for the Swift Valley Reserve.

Follow this link to the Records Display page to see the locations of the records and their recorder. Also see the map on the species page.

See the First Flights Table for other May dragonfly sightings.
Large Red & Common Blue Damselflies, records were reported below on 16^th April and 2^nd May.

The three of the images show Large Red Damselfly, image 1 shows the individual that was the first record this year, images 2 & 3 were taken at the Outspan (the larvae is about ready to emerge) and no the emerging individual in the next image is not it! The fourth image is of a Black-tailed Skimmer photographed by James Kenny at Wolston Fields on 18th May. The first record for the species this year.

The last two images, 5 & 6, were taken at the Outspan too. They are of one of the four exuvia of Four-spotted Chaser recovered from the big garden pond in mid-May. There are side and front views.

Two Beautiful Demoiselle have emerged very early.
The first was recorded by Mick Schilling at Barton-on-Avon on 2^nd May, image 1. As the Earliest Dates table shows this is an amazing four week earlier than the record in 2011! And 2011 was a very early year for flying dragonflies.
Only three days later Katie Thorpe spotted one on the Dene between Wellesbourne and Charlecote, image 2.
Both the specimens are not yet mature and look of a very similar age. We should look out for more of this species.

Jim Timms reported three Common Blue Damselfly at Bubbenhall on 2^nd May.

As Jim said in his email:

Maggie Smith photographed this poor little Large Red Damselfly emerging from her garden pond in Eathorpe. It flew away the next morning. Tough little things.

The season is really starting now with a male Hairy Dragonfly recorded at Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve. Although the reserve is closed, the RSPB are still carrying out essential checks. The Hairy Dragonfly was found and photographed by Kate Ashley as she did her essential livestock checks. Very exciting to see this species on the reserve for a 2^nd year.

Broad-bodied Chaser has been recorded at two sites. At Sutton Park by Richard Orton and at Newton cutting, Rugby by Steven Wright. Both were recorded on 22^nd April.

The 22^nd was an active day for records and recorders. Peter Dooley sighted a Banded Demoiselle at Ladywalk Nature Reserve too.

A glance at the first flight table shows that both the Hairy Dragonfly and the Broad-bodied Chaser appeared on their earliest dates for the county. So, perhaps it is going to be a year for early emergencies after all.

A number of Large Red Damselflies have now been recorded and Jim Timms has been pushed off the top by Lisa Williams.

Better late than never! Jim Timms recorded the first Large Red Damselfly for the year at Bubbenhall. The image shows the female individual in full mature colouring - it almost certainly emerged a day or so earlier than when seen.
The earliest flight date for the species in Warwickshire is 11^th April in 2017 and so it arrived five days later.
Considering the relative warmth of the winter, a possible record breaking early record seemed on the cards. Was it the heavy winter rains or the lockdown that caused the delay in receiving an early record? Were they out there but unseen?

During your exercise session try to survey a local water body or two so we catch other early emerging species.

Last updated Tue Jun 09 18:20:45 2020