Dragonfly Diaries - updated

Last year I didn't quite manage to photograph all the species of Dragonfly and Damselfly recorded in Cheshire - catching up with migrants like Red-veined Darter and Lesser Emperor is always going to a challenge, but for the rarer resident species it was really down to lack of good weather when I was actually in the UK. You can see how I got on in 2025 follow this link https://www.paulhillphotography.com/post/dragonfly-diaries

This year it has been a bit different - the weather in June hasn't been the best, but I have still managed to get out and photograph three "missing" species.

A visit to Hatchmere on 2nd June and a walk around the accessible perimeter resulted in several Variable Damselfly falling to the camera

Female Variable Damselfly

Male Variable Damselfly

A few days later and I headed to the Cheshire / Staffordshire border for a successful search for Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly at it's only Cheshire site. A single female was seen, but a return visit on 14 June results in at least 3 males and 2 females seen.

Male Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

Female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly Habitat at Cheshire's Close

My third "missing" species was White-legged Damselfly. This species is predominantly recorded along the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal near Nantwich and also the River Dee south of Chester. On 8 June I found two White-legged Damselfly at Swanley Locks along the Llangollen Canal on a return visit on 16 June, I counted over 60!

Male White-legged Damselfly

Female White-legged Damselfly

Teneral female White-legged Damselfly

Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal

White-legged and Red-eyed Damselfly habitat along the Llangollen Branch

The season has several months still to run - who knows what will turn up - Norfolk Hawker must be on the cards and there are plenty of Red-veined Darters and Lesser Emperors around!!