Azure Damselfly

The Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) is one of the commonest and most widespread species of damselfly in Britain and as such, I have not paid this pretty little insect due attention over the years, safe in the knowledge that I can get photographs of it at any time. 

Well that time presented itself during lockdown and I decided to update some of my rather old photographs of puella.

 I have quite enjoyed the slower pace of nature watching that lockdown has brought, allowing me to soak up the beauty of everything around me at one of my local woods.

Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) 

Males.

Pair in tandem.

Female (green form)

Female (blue form)

Large Tortoiseshell

My friend Bob has always been very good at keeping me in the loop, whenever he finds an interesting butterfly. When he happened upon his second Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) of the year, on his local patch on Sunday, he kindly gave me a call. 

Bob is very used to me not having my mobile 'phone switched on but we exchanged texts about his find later that evening and I decided that it would be worth an early morning visit to the location the next day.

I was on site by 0745hrs and it wasn't long before a beautiful female polychloros appeared and I had her to myself for 3 hours.


The Large Tortoiseshell has had a curious history as a breeding species in Britain. During the first half of the twentieth century, it occurred in relative abundance, interspersed with long periods of scarcity. During the second half of the century, it became a very scarce butterfly and was eventually presumed to be extinct. From then on, sightings of single specimens were generally regarded as being of doubtful provenance. However, during the last few years, sightings have started to increase in regularity and there appears to have been significant migration events during the springs of 2019 and 2020, culminating in evidence of breeding this year.

The appearance of this species in Britain always generates excitement amongst lepidopterists.

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) (female)

Urban Fox

What a lovely animal the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is. We regularly see them trotting through our garden during the daytime and they always appear completely un-phased by the close proximity of Homo sapiens, a species they have every right to steer well clear of.

A couple of mornings ago, I spotted a fox sitting and preening itself just outside our back door. It seemed to like the warmth of the cast iron manhole cover and stayed for several minutes.

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

(I think this is a young vixen)

The names given to moth species are often descriptive. Here are three species from this weeks moth catches that fit their names very well.

Peach Blossom (Thyatira batis)

Blotched Emerald (Comibaena bajularia)

Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria)

Finding Dragonflies and Damselflies in a Wealden Wood

Now that the weather has turned a little cooler and more changeable, I like to head for one of my favourite Wealden woods to see what dragonflies and damselflies I can find at rest amongst the bracken.

 When you watch them during hot and sunny weather, they are usually very active but when the sun goes in you can sometimes watch them settle in the undergrowth.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) 

(female, form praenubila)

Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) (male)

White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) (female)

Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) (male)

Moth-trap catches have been smaller since the night-time temperature has been a little cooler this week but I usually find something worthy of close attention.

Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata)

Broad-barred White (Hecatera bicolorata)