Sunday 3 July 2011

Kinky Damsel

Phew! Day two of the Garden Safari is over. Another great day for weather and a good number of people visiting the garden. I was very pleased that so many people were interested in the moths, with of course to odd squeamish lady who is terrified of anything that flies. I do understand that the Privet Hawk-moth on show could be a bit intimidating if it was flying round your head, but o be scared of a Heart and Dart of a Brimstone moth is something I find difficult understand. I do hope that the children don't grow up with the same phobias. A number of people came by who'd visited us at the last Safari two years ago, and it is great to see children who have maintained their interest in wildlife. One young lad from Deal was particularly interested in the moths, and moth traps, as were his Mum and Dad, and it seems that "Dad" was prepared to make him a trap and share the interest. It's a great hobby to get into and an appreciation of the world outside of computer games is surely what modern children need.

Sitting near the front garden pond allowed me, in quiet moments, to watch the comings and goings there. Masses of Damselflies have emerged in the last few days and all the blue ones I saw were Azure Blues. We do get Common Blues as well but I failed to find any today.

I didn't search very thoroughly but I only found one exvuvia (the skin left when the nymph sheds it's last skin to become a Damsel). I haven't checked out the species yet, there is a key in John and Gill Brook's fabulous book on Kent Dragonflies.

The commonest Damselfly around the ponds today was the Blue-tailed Damselfly. They everywhere, I even found one in Pam's greenhouse.

This strange looking kinky Damsel did have me a bit puzzled, but I think it is a teneral (recently emerged) Azure Blue Damselfly.

The pond surface is now the home to dozens of Pond Skaters, all waiting for the vibrations through the water that let then know that their next victim has landed on the water.

Various flies can bee seen on the Water-lily leaves and the pond skater often come to the rest on the pads.

I was quite taken with this Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) as it hovered inside the flower of a Water Lily.

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