A walk round the pond - Week 30

It has been hot this week, good weather for dragonflies but almost too hot to walk around and watch them.  Emperors were patrolling almost constantly, usually resting only briefly on the waterside reeds where they are difficult to see.  I was lucky that these two paused in more accessible positions.

The second one had two damselflies in attendance - probably an azure and a common blue.

I had another go at some in-flight shots.  These were the best I could manage.

This week I saw dozens of common darters including lots of mating pairs.

Darters oviposit in tandem with the female flicking the tip of her abdomen into the water.  The male holds on to her until the deed is done so she doesn't run off with a rival.

Other mating pairs were common blue damselflies

and azure damselflies.

There were lots of butterflies enjoying the heat, mainly skippers, meadow browns and ringlets.  A new sighting for the year was this small tortoiseshell.

Common blue butterflies old and new.  The size difference is interesting but my guidebook gives a range of 29-36mm so perhaps these just illustrate the range.

I saw a grasshopper which looked a bit odd.

But it was only when it turned round that I could see it was missing a leg.  It seemed to be able to jump OK but perhaps not very accurately.

It was time for my monthly bumblebee walk although it was perhaps a bit hot for them as there were fewer about. Almost all the bird's foot trefoil has gone and the knapweed isn't quite out so there were also few flowers for them.  The red-tailed workers were very keen on this yellow flower which I think is ribbed melilot.