With so much rain and dull weather it was not surprising that 2012 turned out to be an unspectacular year for dragonflies and damselflies in Cheshire. It wasn't until 14th April that the first teneral Large-red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula was seen by Michael Whiteside at Burwardsley. The first dragonfly recorded was a Hairy Dragonfly Brachytron pratense exuvia that Janette Renshaw located at Marshall's Arm on the River Weaver on 13th May. At the end of the season a bit of sunshine revealed several species still flying with Black Darter Sympetrum danae, Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum, and Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta seen at Blakemere by Pam Taylor. November records included Bill Morton's sighting of a Migrant Hawker ovipositing at Black Lake, Delamere on the 5th, and a male Migrant Hawker at Wigg Island, Runcorn by Tony Parker. There were very few migrants reported, and the most interesting sighting was when Paul M Hill found a male Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope on territory at a farm in South Cheshire. There was also a possible but unconfirmed record of a male Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombei on the Wirral coast. Once again several Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum were seen over the raised bog at Danes Moss, indeed this site appears to have benefited from the rewetting works that have been undertaken there and there was a total of 14 species seen there in 2012. On the Dee the White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes continues to be present in low numbers around Adlford, whilst the Common Clubtail Gomphus vulgatissimus was see at the usual haunts but only in small numbers and only during May. Thanks are due to the many people who have submitted records over the past few years and particularly those who have explored the little visited parts of West Cheshire to seek out records in the under-recorded areas. I am confident that the records now show as true a picture as possible of the status of Odonata in Cheshire. |
© David Kitching 2013
Last updated 2.1.2013