Southern Hawker, RW

The inquisitive behaviour of this dragon still makes it one of my favourites.

Banded Demoiselle, RW

Banded Dem's are usually quite scarce nomadic visitors to the reservoir, but this year they seem to be everywhere.

Rudd

Roesel's Bush-crickets

I found the first record for leic/Rut back in 2002 on the Egleton nature reserve, a single singing male. Just five years on and a quick stroll around the reserve can now produce 150+ on a hot day. Click on photos for a bigger image.

Dark Bush-crickets

Upper photo shows a male and lower two a female.

Speckled Bush-cricket

Usually found sitting inconspicuously on nettles and brambles.

Pisaura mirabilis carrying egg sac

Passing Rain

Banded Demoiselle, RW

Ruddy Darter, RW

Mediterranean Gulls, RW

House Martin killer

Last year we had trouble with a Great-spotted Woodpecker that use to come and attempt to predate the House Martin colony (25 pairs), by drilling through the bottom of the mud nests. This year however, it or another has reached a new level by killing both adult and juvs. Many of the juvs have their heads missing and the adults have peck marks on their napes. The death toll is now about 16 and rising.

Phasia hemiptera, RW

The female lays her eggs straight in to certain species of bugs, the larvae living inside its host. Not pleasant !!!.

Migrant Hawker, RW

Red-eyed Damselfly, Rutland

Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Rutland

Pied Wagtail, RW

Fallow Deer, Rutland

New Forest, 14th - 16th July

Not classic dragonfly weather but after a summer like this, you can't be to picky. I paid my respects to several of the classic New Forest sites and as usual they didn't disappoint. It was nice to see two male Scarce Blue-tailed Damsels and the views of Golden-ringed Dragons were simply out of this world.

Mill Lawn Brook

This boggy channel was alive with Southern and Small Red Damsels but i failed once again to find Scarce Blue-tailed Damsel at this site. Maybe they don't exist here anymore.

Silver-washed Fritillary

Digi-scoped in a very strong wind.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Agelena labyrinthica, (spider)

Small Red Damselfly

Common Lizard

Common Darter

Silver-studded Blues

Wood Ant nest

German Cockroach nymph

Found this tiny nymph out on the heath, an odd place to find one. They are usually found indoors or on rubbish tips where there is a good source of heat.

Wood cricket

Beautiful Demoiselles