Lock-down Adventure No 16 - Plenty of Damsels in the Pond

25th May 2020

The pond is being particularly successful for damselflies this year with many emerging from nymphs that have spent the winter at the bottom of the pond and many pairs breeding and laying eggs to produce the next generation. I have recorded nine species of dragonfly in the garden over the years although relatively few of these have been associated with the pond, either using the garden for hunting such as Migrant and Southern Hawkers, or wanderers such as the Banded Demoiselle.

The only species that could reasonably regarded as resident are the Large Red  and Azure Damselflies. Later on Blue-tailed Damselflies will appear and linger around the pond, although I can't recall whether they have bred there. The first species to emerge is the Large Red Damselfly and these are now building up into good numbers, pairing up and egg-laying.

The Azure Damselflies are also now starting to emerge, building up in numbers and starting their breeding cycle.

Luckily weather conditions have been ideal with lots of warm sunshine and little or no rain so we should look forward to bumper numbers next year provided the weather behaves itself again during emergence.