The first Willow Emerald in the county was recorded in Warwickshire by Kay and Peter Reeve on Saturday 21^st September 2019 at a private site. It was among the branches of a Willow on an accessible part of the bank. And the 1^st image taken beside the pool of the Willow Emerald Chalcolestes viridis - its a male. Currently the location must remain confidential.

It was first recorded in the U.K in 2007 in Suffolk and has been spreading west and north since and it was expected to arrive in Warwickshire. It is a late flyer and can continue into November.

Kay and I returned on Saturday 28^th September 2019. We spotted four individuals, three males and a female - in tandem. The second image shows one of the males.

Even more exciting, we located at least nine oviposition sites on twigs and branches showing the lesions caused by the egg laying. Eight were on ash and one on willow. The third image shows one such oviposition site on ash. They were along an eighty yard length of bank where easy access is possible.

There must be others locally too to be found soon. So look for large Emerald Damselflies with no blue (pruinescent) markings probably flying or perched about head height among the branches of trees by and overhanging water. Quite different behavior from the Emerald Damselfly which tends to perch and fly low down, mostly among reeds.

Last updated Mon Mar 30 18:34:16 2020