Purple Hairstreak and Life Amongst the Bracken Fronds

Although the Purple Hairstreak (Quercusia quercus) rightly has a reputation for being difficult to see at close quarters, it is a regular visitor to the woodland floor in the early morning. As the sun rises, the adults are tempted down from the canopy to take moisture and bask on bramble leaves and bracken fronds.

As I move quietly and slowly through the bracken beds, I come across many other early morning baskers.

Purple Hairstreak (Quercusia quercus) (female)

Purple Hairstreak (Q. quercus) (female ab. flavimaculatus)

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) (males)

Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara) (pregnant female)

Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas) (teneral female)

Strangalia quadrifasciata (Longhorn sp.)

Oak Jewel Beetle (Agrilus biguttatus)

Southern Damselfly

Last week, I headed for the New Forest in Hampshire to spend a day in search of the Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale).

 This is one of our most endangered species of damselfly and it has very specific habitat requirements. Colonies can only be found along shallow, slow moving heathland streams with clear water usually running over a bed of gravel and within a warm microclimate. 

 As with all 'blue' damselfly species, the diagnostic identifying features can usually be found within the markings of the abdomen.

Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale)

(males)

(female)

(pair in tandem)