April Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2014 season is 5

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)


Male Common Blue Damselfly with a freshly emerged female Large Red Damselfly at Anderton 29.4.14. Photo © R Gabb

29.4.14
A visit to Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) with Richard Gabb yielded plenty of Large Red Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly, with several emerging Four-spotted Chaser. Richard moved on to Hatchmere (57l SJ551721) where he found just Large Red Damselfly.


Female Large Red Damselfly just emerged at Leftwich 28.4.14. Photo © A Redley

28.4.14
Alan Redley reports plenty of Large Red Damselfly emerging from a pond at Leftwich (67Q SJ665710).


Not at all what I expected to be found in April is this teneral Common Darter at Anderton Nature Park 28.4.14. Photo © R McHale

27.4.14
Ray Collins and Rob McHale were both at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) today, and found teneral Four-spotted Chaser along with 15 Common Blue Damselfly, 9 Blue-tailed Damselfly, and 6 Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula). Rob also spotted a teneral Common Darter which is by several weeks the earliest ever record for Cheshire.

23.4.14
Whilst visiting a number of mire sites around Delamere Forest (57F and 57K) Vicky Nall found plenty of teneral Large Red Damselfly and also exuviae.


Female Four-spotted Chaser at Anderton Nature Park 27.4.14. Photo © R Collins

21.4.14
At Rixton Clay Pits (69V SJ687903) Rob McHale searched diligently but only found three Large Red Damselfly. There were also a couple of Large Red Damselfly at Dairy House Meadows (67S SJ663757) when Janette Renshaw visited.

18.4.14
Rob McHale reports seeing a couple of Large Red Damselfly at Delamere Forest (57K SJ545705), whilst Peter Snape spotted another Abbots Moss (56Z SJ593686).

15.4.14
I was wondering earlier today when we might have the first record of the season and shortly after I was informed that Jenny Whiteside saw a Large Red Damselfly at Burwardsley 55D SJ518567) by Jenny Whiteside this afternoon. With all the sunny weather we have been having I would expect further sightings very soon. This was followed by a second record, this time from Janette Renshaw who found a teneral female Large Red Damselfly at the Round Pool, near Newchurch Common (56Z SJ598691). Vicky Nall also reports another teneral Large Red Damselfly at Linmere (57K SJ546707).


Large Red Damselflies at Anderton 29-4-14
Photo © D Kitching

If you have made any Odonata observations in Cheshire and would like to share them with others or wish to take part in the recording scheme please email me. Good quality photographs of Cheshire Odonata for use on the news pages are also very welcome.

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April 2014 Sightings and News Received
May 2014 Sightings and News Received
June 2014 Sightings and News Received
July 2014 Sightings and News Received
August 2014 Sightings and News Received
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October / November 2014 Sightings and News Received

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© David Kitching 2014

Last updated 6.5.2014