On August 7 Dawn Cowan took a series of great images of an Emerald Damselfly in the woodland near the little bridge.  Alarm bells were sounded as the pterostigma (the  cell in the outer wing of insects which is often thickened or coloured and so stands out from other cells) was all white and not dark as in the both Common and Scarce Emerald which we get here...

Could it be a Willow Emerald?  This species is fast colonizing the south east and has been seen along the Mardyke just a couple of miles from the reserve and we are only a few meters from the dyke itself....

Things were not that straight forward with this individual but some expert advice from Roy Woodward eventually confirmed that we did have a new species for the reserve.

I suspect that before the end of the season we may even find the species again as it likes hanging up in willows and other trees over water and we have a couple of spots that look perfect including just past the Bogwood and over the Troll Bridge....

So well done Dawn and who will find the next one?

16-8-14