ID help needed (1 Viewer)

herring99

Well-known member

• Jun 13, 2004

• #1

Hi all,

need some help identifying these flying objects! I went up to Thursley Common in Surrey UK yesterday to grab some photos of birds and found none that would stay still long enough to be photographed, so I ended up taking these instead. I have no idea what they are, other than the biplane looking one is a dragonfly and the closed wing ones are damselflies. The unk3 photo was taken on my pond in the back garden yesterday as well. Can anyone help and point me in the direction of a good field guide (preferably one with distibution maps) so I wont have to pester everyone again!

Cheers

Herring

 

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Angus T

Well-known member

• Jun 13, 2004

• #2

#1 four-spotted Chaser
#2 Large Red Damselfly (its got dark legs)
#3 as #2 (male)
#4 Male Common Blue Damselfly ('club' shape on segment 2, segment 8 & 9 all blue, though I've seen variation, and single stripe on side of thorax.

One of the more popular field guides, and its the one I have is "Brooks" Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of GB & I Steve Brooks and illustrated by Richard Lewington

Does have distribution maps but they're not great, though to have better ones may make the book bigger, so perhaps they're a reasonable compromise. Also Brooks has been updated since my copy, so maybe that part has been changed.

 

mike coleman

BF Irregular

• Jun 13, 2004

• #3

4 Spotted Chaser
Large Red Damselfly twice
Common Blue Damselfly

There are two books worth having a look at. Brooks and Lewington "Dragonflies and Damselflies of Britain" and Dan Powell "A Guide to the D&D of Britain" which I find pretty good and manageable. The Field Studies Council also have a decent waterproof sheet with most UK species pictured for a couple of quid.

 

mike coleman

BF Irregular

• Jun 13, 2004

• #4

Oops! Sorry Angus, had no idea you'd replied.....bit slow tonight.

 

harry eales

Ancient Entomologist

• Jun 14, 2004

• #5

herring99 said:

Hi all,

need some help identifying these flying objects! I went up to Thursley Common in Surrey UK yesterday to grab some photos of birds and found none that would stay still long enough to be photographed, so I ended up taking these instead. I have no idea what they are, other than the biplane looking one is a dragonfly and the closed wing ones are damselflies. The unk3 photo was taken on my pond in the back garden yesterday as well. Can anyone help and point me in the direction of a good field guide (preferably one with distibution maps) so I wont have to pester everyone again!

Cheers

Herring

Click to expand...

Hello Herring99,
Angus has already ID'd your specimen pictures. One of the best books on British Dragonflies and their identification is The Dragonflies of Great Britain and Ireland by C.O.Hammond. The distribution maps are well out of date, many species having expanded their range northwards. But at about £10.00 it's very good value for money. Be aware that new species of Dragonfly or Damselfly are being added annually to the British List.
Harry.

 

herring99

Well-known member

• Jun 14, 2004

• #6

Thanks everyone for your help,

will now go off and spend some of my ill gotten gains on a dragonfly book!

Herring B

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Jun 14, 2004

• #7

The UK dragonfly society website has excellent photos, too!
Next time you're at Thursley watch out for small red damselfly, black darter and many others that love that acid bog! (The pond by the car-park is also excellent.)