Beautiful Demoiselle
07/01/2021
The demoiselles are relatively large damselflies and have a graceful flight like that of a butterfly. They are particularly sensitive to pollution, so their presence here is very encouraging.
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. They live as larvae (grubs) underground for three to seven years before emerging as adults for just one summer. The larvae feed on rotting wood and are one of nature’s important decomposers. Here at Welly, piles of logs are left in the woodland for Stag Beetles and other decomposers.
The demoiselles are relatively large damselflies and have a graceful flight like that of a butterfly. They are particularly sensitive to pollution, so their presence here is very encouraging.
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 distinctive, stout dragonfly can be seen in late spring and early summer around our lakes and ponds.
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.
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.