A bit of a flying visit this morning to the Obs and local fields, just to see what was about. In the Obs Pond a female Emperor Dragonfly was depositing eggs, as were a couple of female Broad-bodied Chasers.
Amazing to see the difference in egg laying techniques. The Emperor Dragonfly was laying her eggs by using her ovipositor to search out a good spot in the submerged weed as she sat on a reed. A complete contrast by the technique used by the female Broad-bodied Chaser where egg laying was carried out on the wing. She would continual fly over the water and dip her ovipositor, presumably laying single eggs randomly all over the pond.
Also in the pond a few Azure Damselflies and a Common Darter.
From the Obs garden I made my way into the fields by the Obs Quarry, where there were dozens of Gatekeepers in the brambles. In amongst them a few Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Marbled Whites and Small Blues.
In the long grass there were dozens of Small Heaths, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Large Skippers, Small Skippers and what I believe were Adonis Blues.
A few moths about predominately Six-spot Burnets, though I did find a very small Five-spot Burnet moth. According to UK Moths the wing length ranges from 28mm - 33mm. The one I found today could easily been 23mm - 25mm. It was that small.
Not too many birds about, with just Skylarks, Linnets, Swifts and Swallows noted.
Not too many birds about, with just Skylarks, Linnets, Swifts and Swallows noted.
Here are a few images and a video:
A female Emperor Dragonfly.........
.........laying eggs in the Obs pond
A short video of the female Emperor Dragonfly depositing eggs (apologies for the background noise of the video camera tracking)
A Six-spot Burnet moth. More on Six-spot Burnet Moths Here.
And a very very small Five-spot Burnet Moth.
A Small Blue
As above showing the underwing. No "silver" in those orange spots, so eliminates Silver-studded Blue.
Certainly a very colourful butterfly even without seeing those blue upper-wings.
A Small Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
Broad Centurian (Chloromyia formosa)