Help in North East England! (1 Viewer)

Im new to insect photography and i just love it. Can anyone please point me toward any places i can take pics of insects i.e dragonflys butteflys whatever. Im totally hooked on this and want to get some shots in before the weather changes. I live in Durham in North East England but i can go to Northumberland if needed.Thanks

Hopefully someone might come along and give you a proper answer but you may just about have something on your doorstep that might be worth checking out [never been myself so just a guess]
http://www.dur.ac.uk/botanic.garden/

Looks like it might the entrance is £4. As they have the wildflower meadow that should be a good place for the Butterfly.

Have you checked IanF local patch Cowpen Bewley [Billingham] he see plenty of Dragonfly...started it at page 3 but there are 2 pages after.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=130637&highlight=bewley&page=3

Apart from of course Dragons n Damsels your own garden is a fair place to start, assuming you have one. Country roadsides are a haven for the little critters too. (Mind the traffic though, and be ready for the odd looks you will undoubtably get) Below are some places that might help you get started... Particularly look out for open "Meadows" marvelous places for huge varieties of insect.. You've chosen a facinating and exciting subject for photography.. Good choice... Have fun....

http://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/naturereserves

There lots of small nature reserves dotted around the county. Ones along the east side are worth checking out for dragonflies as are reedy river banks. Any area with small ponds or boggy areas are suitable.

Local to me all good for dragonflies there's Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, Beck Valley Ecology Park, Dormans Pool, Hardwick Hall Country Park an Charltons Pond to name just a few.

They hold a good range of butterflies as well but in addition there's the old quarry at Bishop Middleham, Castle Eden Denemouth, Wingate Local Nature Reserve, Greatham Creek etc. which have habitat suitable to particular species.

Might be worth having a look here for local sites and recent sightings of butterflies - http://www.northeast-butterflies.org.uk/index.html

Hi Mick,

Might be worth you having a look at www.gatesheadbirders.co.uk which contains loads of great insect photos taken by local photographers at sites around the borough, also has a site guide. Kibblesworth brickwork pools is the best area in the borough for variety of dragonflies and butterflies.

cheers

Alan M

You can't beat a good patch of wasteground - an old colliery site, perhaps?

Thanks all. Great list of places to check out. I know Kibblesworth as its not far from me. Tried to find it but couldnt find the pond. Anyone have the best directions to the brickworks?

Mick