Tag Archives: damselfly

I was back at Old Moor, feels like I’m making it home at the moment, this time once again for the Dragonflies and Damselflies. I arrived at around 10am and once again a similar day as last weeks visit, I had arrived, fortunately, when the sun was shining, so first things first, I got the gear together and off I went.

As always of course I look around the car park verges, as good things can also be found in a car park, there were a few Azure Damselflies and I also found a couple of Common Blue Damselflies. On then to the main reserve, but I always look at the smaller pools near the entrance, as good things can also turn up here, but nothing today. The next step was the Visitor Centre pools, her I also found Azure Damselflies, Blue tailed Damselflies and also Tortoise Thistle Beetles. On then to the left hand pools, but a Brimstone Butterfly got my attention, we played chase around the garden, until it settled and I could manage a couple of shots, I also found a Semaphore Fly kin the same area.

I eventually got to the stepping stones ponds and due to the sun being out, I found a few Four Spotted Chasers, alas nothing else in this area, so I decided on dinner at this point.

On entry back to the reserve, after dinner, I was checked out by a young Robin at the hub, amazing how soon they become friendly, must be a DNA thing. So on then to the next pool, the Toyota one, and here I found Red eyed Damselflies, Blue tailed Damselflies and Azure Damselflies.

Next step was down onto the Green Lane loop, it also appeared quiet down here too, but with much searching I found a Soldier Beetle [Cantharis rustica] and also another Speckled Bush Cricket. On the way out of the reserve, near the visitor centre pool, I caught sight of a large fly, turned out to be a Horsefly and I think its called a Hairy-legged Horsefly [Hybomitra bimaculata], a nice fly to see, but can give a nasty bit, also needs examination to bring to species, which I wasn’t going to do.

That was my day at Old Moor on another insect day, warm weather would make the day better.

On the way home I was in two minds as to whether to drop into Bullcliffe NR to try and find Dingy Skipper Butterfly, it wasn’t till I reached the roundabout near by that I made my mind up, I dropped in. It was a difficult search, I was finding nothing on my first loop, it just seems at the moment no matter where you go, there is just a lack of insects about, however things changed on my second time around.

I caught sight of something in my peripheral vision, it had yellow on the sides, I immediately thought Broad Bodied Chaser, unfortunately I lost it, and then as if by magic, it landed on the bramble patch closest to me, and it was very obliging, it was the female of the species, I watched it for a long time, hunting and coming back to the perch, cleaning and just chilling.

Soldier Beetle [Cantharis rustica]

Large Marsh Horsefly [Tabanus autumnalis]

Broad Bodied Chaser ♀

Well the day looked promising when I arrived at Old Moor, I was hopeful for some insect action today. I started at the Visitor Centre pool, here there were plenty of Azure Damselflies blobbing about on the surrounding vegetation, along with a few Blue tailed Damselflies, they weren’t very active due to the weather, it was overcast, with a bit of wind, which makes taking photos harder. Along with the Damselflies around the pond there were a few Hairy Shieldbugs. I moved on then to the other ponds, I had little luck around here only finding a single Dingy Skipper Butterfly, so after that I decided on having dinner and on doing on the walk back to the car park, I came across a Peacock Butterfly and a Common Blue Damselfly.

After dinner I decided on a walk around the Green Lane Loop, where there seemed to be a little bit more action, there were a lot more Blue tailed Damselflies down here, along with a few Azure Damselflies, no butterflies. Swollen thighed Beetles were enjoying sheltering on the Ox-eye daises, whilst looking at these I also came across a Common Malachite Beetle, also down here I found a Tiger Cranefly and it wasn’t till I passed the Wader Scrape Hide that I found a new Cranefly species for me, a black and red one, with black winged markings, one I believe to be a Ptychoptera contaminata, a nice ending to what was a very dull day, I didn’t find what i was hoping for but nature showed me what it wanted me to see

Cranefly [Ptychoptera contaminata]

Malachite Beetle

Swollen thighed Beetle

Blue tailed Damselfly