Today, warm sunshine at last, with a slight breeze, perfect for the emergence of Damselflies on the river which is now running lower and less swiftly than of late.
Damselfly emergence is an important occasion on the river, it can tell us more about water quality and the all encompassing health of the river than observance and sample testing.
It is so good to see them emerge as they are very sensitive to pollution and would not be found here if the river water quality and ecology was poor.
A fine male Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly (Calopteryx virgo)
on river bank nettles, its metallic blue-green body shining in the sun.
The dark brown wings have iridescent blue-green wing-veins.
(click on the photos and scroll down to the bottom of the page for a larger view)
Another Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly about to fly - there were so many males flying over the river (Boldings Brook) and perching on nettles - will they all find mates?
Above is a female Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly - it has lighter brown wings and a metallic green body, not as easy to see as the male - it's perching on a bramble leaf, all the others choose nettles.
Another very hansom damselfly is the Banded Demoiselle - (Calopteryx splendens). Above is a male
showing its truly blue wing-veins and 'kingfisher blue' body but the characteristic dark 'thumb print' on the wing is not visible here - will have to find one perched side on.
Here again, its presence is a sign of well-managed unpolluted riverine ecology.
Here is a Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) which prefers ponds and slow moving water - it could be the first to colonise the new ponds very close to the river banks where these were seen although today the Beautiful Demoiselle species were by far the most numerous.
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