Common Blue Damselfly
07/01/2021
Common Blue Damselflies can be seen throughout the main College grounds, but especially over and around Swan Lake, where they often emerge in their hundreds.
This stunning moth resembles the colours of its caterpillars’ favourite foodplants, willow herbs, and can sometimes be seen resting among the foliage of these plants during the day in early summer. The large, dark body, eye-spots and strangely slender, trunk-like front segments of the caterpillar give it a curiously elephantine appearance, hence its name. Less commonly, the caterpillars also come in a green form. When threatened, it withdraws the small front segments into its body, puffing up its eye-spots. They make a loose cocoon of silk and dead leaves on the ground in which to pupate through the winter and spring. They have been seen at various sites all over the Welly estate.
Common Blue Damselflies can be seen throughout the main College grounds, but especially over and around Swan Lake, where they often emerge in their hundreds.
This remarkably distinctive moth resembles a twig from a Silver Birch, one of the caterpillar’s foodplants, and can occasionally been seen resting on twigs by day.
This damselfly is usually the first to be seen in spring, in April or even late March. Males are mostly red, with black tails. Females are also red and black, with varying amounts of black, but always more than the males.
This magnificent beetle is Britain’s largest and is, sadly, quite scarce now. The male’s huge ‘antlers’ are in fact overgrown mandibles (jaws) for courtship display and are generally too large and unwieldy for the beetle to be able to bite with them.
Keep up to date with the nature at Wellington. We will bring you all things species and habitats, keeping you informed on the latest about Welly’s Wildlife.
Keep up to date with the nature at Wellington. We will bring you all things species and habitats, keeping you informed on the latest about Welly’s Wildlife.
Keep up to date with the nature at Wellington. We will bring you all things species and habitats, keeping you informed on the latest about Welly’s Wildlife.