Sightings and News for May 2001

Club-tailed Dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus)
Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense)
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)
Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea)

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa)
Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas)
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum)

31.5.01
From the Dee downstream of Farndon towards Aldford (35X SJ399547) Emma Broad found yet more large numbers of Club-tailed Dragonfly exuviae and increasing numbers of Banded Demoiselle.

29.5.01
Allan Brandon also visited Farndon (45C SJ411543) and recorded yet more Club-tailed Dragonfly exuviae in addition to the large numbers he collected over the past few days. He also reports Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly from this stretch of the Dee.

27.5.01
A group of enthusiasts gathered at Farndon (45C SJ411543) and set out in search of the Club-tailed Dragonfly. By lunchtime they had walked as far up river as the bypass bridge and had collected 101 exuviae. These were collected from just the accessible parts of the bank on one side of the river. The total numbers emerging on the Dee must be enormous. It was interesting to see the wide variety of emergence positions chosen by these larvae. Some were flat on the mud close to the water whilst others were much higher up and actually attached low down to the vegetation. A number of detached wings indicated that the local birds had been enjoying a tasty snack in some cases.

Club-tailed Dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus) exuvia from the Dee

After lunch the party moved on to the marlpits at Churton (45I SJ430565) where they recorded good numbers of Variable Damselfly along with Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly and a number of emerging Four-spotted Chaser.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) emerging and teneral

25.5.01
Paul Hill reports the second earliest Cheshire record for Emerald Damselfly from Little Budworth Common (56X SJ583661)

From a pond at Barton (45M SJ456542) Allan Brandon reports in excess of fifty Four-spotted Chaser along with Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.

24.5.01
Emma Broad, Gail Butterill and Rob McHale headed for the Dee at Farndon (SJ411543) today in search of the Club-tailed Dragonfly. They were richly rewarded when they found a large number of exuviae, saw 3 teneral adults and saw one nymph crawl from the water and the adult insect emerge.

23.5.01
At Billinge Green Flash (67V SJ682713) I found a couple of Hairy Dragonfly flying amongst the reeds and Blue-tailed Damselfly with a few Azure Damselfly and Red-eyed Damselfly also present.

Paul Hill visited Vale Royal (67F SJ639704) and was rewarded by a single Hairy Dragonfly and a tandem pair of Red-eyed Damselfly along with other damselflies.

Rob McHale also reports Red-eyed Damselfly at Vale Royal (67F SJ639704). Also present were Large Red Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly.

Emma Broad saw a single Emerald Damselfly at Abbotts Moss (56Z SJ595686), the earliest ever Cheshire record.

22.5.01
Bryan Roberts visited Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) and found Broad-bodied Chaser emerging.

Paul Hill and Emma Broad recorded Downy Emerald emerging (see photograph) at Gull Pool (66E SJ602687) and a number of adults flying in the woods nearby. Four-spotted Chaser were also flying.

Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) emerging

At Hatchmere (57L SJ553721) Variable Damselfly was on the wing.

21.5.01
At Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) today David Kitching found five Emperor Dragonfly exuviae and saw Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly on the wing. There were also several exuviae of Four-spotted Chaser.

16.5.01
Paul Hill recorded the exuviae of eight Emperor Dragonfly, three Azure Damselfly and a single Large Red Damselfly at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751).

15.5.01
A single teneral Four-spotted Chaser was seen at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) by David James.

13.5.01
A good day for sightings with Bryan Roberts recording three species at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751). This included the exuviae of two Emperor Dragonfly, easily the earliest Cheshire record for this species.Also present were abundant Common Blue Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.

7.5.01
A few Large Red Damselfly were reported from Vale Royal (67F SJ639704) by Peter Shaw.

5.5.01
At Risley Moss (69R SJ664920) Rob McHale saw 4 Large Red Damselfly on the Nature Reserve pond and ditch system.

Bryan Roberts reports a single Large Red Damselfly on the ponds on the N3 reclamation site (67S SJ662755).

4.5.01
From the Whitegate Way adjacent to Gull Pool (66E SJ602687) Emma Broad reports seeing 3 teneral Large Red Damselfly.

2.5.01
The first records for 2001 were submitted by Rob McHale who visited a pond at Fearnhead (69F SJ643910) and saw a couple of adults and a few exuviae of Large Red Damselfly.

If you have made any Odonata observations in Cheshire and would like to share them with others or wish to take part in the recording scheme please email me.

© David Kitching 2001

Last updated 3.6.2001