Whilst walking through the Valley lately, I can't fail to be amazed at the wonderful diversity of life buzzing around the meadows: hoverflies and bees rummage greedily for nectar on bright purple knapweed; crane flies flutter in the long grass; beautiful butterflies and moths spring up from under your feet with every step, and grasshoppers keep up a constant chorus of chirrups from all sides.
Plume moth (Image by Lizzie Ingram)
Grasshopper (image by Lizzie Ingram)
And, as I found out yesterday, there are surprises and new experiences around every corner. Whilst walking back up the side of the valley after photographing some butterflies, I was confronted by a huge green dragonfly. It zipped back and forth in front of my face, and proceeded to dart around the trees in circles. I watched it for about ten minutes whilst it carried out its amazing aerial display, which culminated in it almost snatching a passing Gatekeeper butterfly out of midair!
Gatekeeper (image by Lizzie Ingram)
This unexpected and wonderful encounter made me realise just how little I know about dragonflies - for some reason I've always taken them for granted. As soon as I got back to the office I picked up a book of insects from the shelf and identified the one I had seen as a Southern Hawker - a large and beautiful Green and black-banded dragonfly.
Dragonflies and Damselflies have a historically bad reputation in Europe, and their old colloquial names of 'Horse-stingers' and 'Devil's Darning Needles' reflect this. This is suspected to be a result of their somewhat ferocious appearance, coupled with their aggressive flight style and fearsome-looking jaws. The dragonfly nymphs we've seen whilst pond dipping lately are definitely quite scary, especially when they start chewing on tadpoles!
Southern Hawker (image by Simon Gray)
Summer is the best time to see dragonflies, with June to September being the time when they are most active. Dragonfly activity is dependent on the temperature of the air, so cold and wet summers have detrimental effects on dragonfly populations. However, a little sunshine will soon see ponds transform into hives of activity, with dragonflies and damselflies whizzing through the air in search of prey.
Their legs are adapted for grasping vegetation while at rest, so they don't walk very well, but they are among the fastest and most skilled fliers in the insect world. Whilst flying, they hold their legs forward to form a basket with which they are able to snatch their insect prey from the air. The angles of their two pairs of wings can be controlled independently, which allows them to fly in any direction (including backwards!) and perform fantastic manoeuvres in mid-flight!
Large Red Damselfly (image by Simon Gray)
My interest in these fascinating creatures is well and truly awakened, and I will definitely make more of an effort to learn about them. How about you? Come for a stroll around the valley on a sunny day to see these jewel-bright insects whizzing through the air - don't forget to pick up a spotter sheet from the visitor centre to see how many you can identify!