When is the start of the Dragonfly season in UK ? (1 Viewer)

[LCpete]

Hi all, when will we start to see Dragonflies and Damselflies in the UK (I live in North wales) ?
I'm getting impatient, got really in to watching and photographing them at our local pond at the end of last summer. Am planning to look a bit further afield hoping to get a photo of a four spotted chaser amongst others.
Pete

 

[PaulK]

Unfortunately the first species don't really appear until May so there is still a bit of a wait unfortunately. It doesn't really get into full swing until late may / early june.

 

[LCpete]

Thanks Paul looks like I've got a bit of a wait
Pete

 

[Wildmoreway]

Hi all, when will we start to see Dragonflies and Damselflies in the UK (I live in North wales) ?
I'm getting impatient, got really in to watching and photographing them at our local pond at the end of last summer. Am planning to look a bit further afield hoping to get a photo of a four spotted chaser amongst others.
Pete

By experience some parts of North Wales do seem to be a week or two ahead of many parts of the UK especially around Llandudno and Conwy, I am not so sure of suitable Dragonfly and Damselfly locations but it will certainly be worth keeping a lookout from Mid April.

Cheers

SW

 

[harry eales]

Hi all, when will we start to see Dragonflies and Damselflies in the UK (I live in North wales) ?
I'm getting impatient, got really in to watching and photographing them at our local pond at the end of last summer. Am planning to look a bit further afield hoping to get a photo of a four spotted chaser amongst others.
Pete

It can vary depending on where you live and what the winter and spring weather is like. A decade or more ago I would have said probably not before May in most of Britain, however, during the past ten years, the winters have been much milder and earlier emergences have taken place.

I've had occasional records of Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies in late March, but no large numbers of them until the middle of April, in some years.

Weather changes which are hardly noticeable to us, are noted by insects, a lot of last years records for example were definately outside the parametres set out in the textbooks. This wasn't just Dragonflies, but also Butterflies and Moths.

Harry

 

[Saerwen]

In 2003 we saw a large red damselfly on 5th April on the marshes at Wareham in Dorset. According to my dragonfly and damsel book, they don't appear until late April, but this was on the south coast and it was a warm day.

 

[LCpete]

Thanks, looks like it will be worth starting to look in a few weeks cant wait |=)|
Pete

 

[HarassedDad]

It's started! common blue seen on the 13th March in reading!
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/celastrina/pic15/P3130868.jpg
has the photo.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Just noticed that the Backwater Birding local patch thread crew have had a Large Red Damselfly already.

 

[julienina]

I know someone who has reported the Large Red damselfly in Cornwall...so we're off it seems. :t:

 

[Darrell Clegg]

We've been getting Large Red Damsels in the Seaton Valley (Cornwall) for the last two weeks. 12 Clouded Yellows there on Good Friday :t:

Darrell

 

[LCpete]

hi everyone its started up here too just seen and photo'd a large red damselfly in our garden
I have been going to the local pond for a couple of weeks with no luck came back yesterday without seeing anything and sat in the garden to watch the birds and we had 2 by our pond.
Pete

 

[Euan Buchan]

I saw a Dragonfly yesterday in Holyrood Lake