Solar Powered Insects

The summer has appeared intermittently so far this year, with insects suddenly powered up as soon as the sun found a way through the clouds onto the river and banks. For aquatic insects such as Dragonflies and Damselflies the sun has to warm up the water before they can emerge. They also need vegetation to make their way out of the water,  climbing out to transform and warm up before taking to the air.

White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes in July

This was unexpected - a small, fragile damselfly which I saw making its way amongst the nettles on the riverbank then settling briefly on a blade of grass before flying off again. There was another not far away on the nettles which had probably emerged from the river at the same time.

This was confirmed as a White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes. It is of great interest as is very localised in Sussex and vulnerable to pollution and is found in clean flowing waters where there is plenty of mature vegetation. Its greatest threat is vegetation clearance. The fields alongside the river are important as well and need to be considered together with the river habitat in conservation plans. 

So good to see them here - they were still on the same stretch of riverbank the following day.

Small Skipper butterfly on thistle

Away form the damp river bank, in a patch of naturally occurring wildflowers, the Skippers appeared as soon as the sun shone, flying restlessly from flower to flower. They enjoy warm, dry weather and are increasing their range as the climate changes year by year.

Longhorn beetle Stranglia melanura

As soon as the Hogweed starts to flower all types of insects gather on the easily accessible nectar source, plenty for all, this one is larger than most.

Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum in thistle on the riverbank. 

Note its long tongue.

The Garden Bumblebee is a specialist, a long-tongued bee, foraging amongst deep flowers which other bees cannot reach. It has a longer face as well as long tongue and is in steep decline as flower-rich grasslands disappear from our county and the country as a whole.  

White-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lucorum on Bramble flower

Bramble flowers are very important sources of nectar for a large number of insect species and have the great advantage of flowering throughout the summer.  Brambles in warm areas flowering earlier and those in shadier locations flowering later, a constant food supply with berries ripening often on the same bush where buds and flowers are still present.