Discover what flutters, darts and slithers at Greylake in August
(L-R) Scarce Chaser, Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly ,Blue Tailed Damselfly 's John Crispin
While August can be a quieter month for birdlife there is still plenty of wildlife that can be found. A wonderful world of colour awaits at Greylake as the reserve is alive with a kaleidoscope of colours from fluttering butterflies, darting dragonflies to other brilliant bugs and slithering snakes. Read on below to discover what you might see on a visit this month.
The dazzling darters: Dragonflies
These aerial acrobats have been around since the time of the dinosaurs when they used to have monster wingspans of up to 75cm, grow 45cm long and weigh as much as a crow! Thankfully the ones you’ll find darting through the air on gossamer wings at the speed of a supersonic jet at Greylake this August are significantly smaller. The different species of dragonflies showcase a splendid array of colours and patterns; so, keep an eye out for species such as Emperor Dragonflies, Common Darter and Brown Hawker.
The Emperor is the largest of the UK dragonflies at 78mm long, the males have greenish-blue eyes, apple-green thorax and a sky-blue, down-curved abdomen with a black line down the centre. The female looks similar but has a predominantly green abdomen. They can typically be found patrolling pond edges like an insect helicopter with their bouts of hovering interspersed with swift lance-like flights.
The Common Darter is a small dragonfly about 43mm long. The males are dull red while the females and newly emerged males are pale greeny-brown. They typically spend long periods of time perched before suddenly darting out to catch their prey.
The Brown Hawker is a large, as the name suggests, brown dragonfly about 73mm long, with amber-tinted wings, and two lemon-yellow bars on the side of the thorax. The male has small blue and yellow markings down the body while the female just has small yellow markings. They are ferocious hunters catching their prey out of mid-air.
Not only are dragonflies stunningly coloured but they are also voracious hunters which can reach speeds of up to 36 miles per hour and catch their prey in mid-air. You might be wondering how you can catch a good view of these fantastic insects if they are speeding around but don’t fear, many species have a favourite perch which they will return to to rest. This could be a piece of dead wood, a reed stem or the back of a bench. Watch to see if you can see a spot where a dragonfly is returning too frequently then you can wait for its return and get a close-up view through binoculars or a camera and be able to see the finest details. Strolling around the Easy Access Trail can be a good place to look for dragonflies.
Other species that can also be seen at the reserve include Scarce Chaser, Ruddy Darter and Southern Hawker. Also look out for damselflies (Azure, Blue-tailed and Common are found here) and Beautiful Demoiselles as you walk around the reserve.
British Dragonfly Society has a helpful identification page which explains the names of the different body parts and helps ID any dragonflies which you might see. It can be found here: https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/species-and-identification/
If you want to attract dragonflies into your garden one way to do this is to add a pond. The RSPB has advice on how to do this here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/water-for-wildlife/making-a-pond/
(L-R), Emperor, Giles Morris; Common Darter, Giles Morris; Brown Hawker, John Crispin
The flitting flutterers: Butterflies
Ancestors of these graceful sky dancers have also been around since the time of the dinosaurs but have a modern cutting edge over dragonflies – they’ve been to space! Four Painted Lady Butterflies lived on the International Space Station (ISS) to understand how gravity affected their life cycle. The butterflies you’ll find flittering around Greylake will be a bit closer to Earth! Butterflies come in a medley of colours keep an eye out for species such as Peacock, Green-veined White and Brimstone.
The Peacock is unmistakable due to the large ‘eyes’ in the corner of its wings. With its camouflaged underside when its wings are closed, it looks like a dead leaf to conceal it from a predator’s gaze. The ‘eyes’ on its wings are used to warn off potential enemies which Peacocks do by flashing their wings at their enemies. Peacocks can also rub their wings together to generate a warning sound.
The Green-veined White gets its name from the obvious dark ‘veins’ on their underside which are a mottling of black scales against the yellow underside. Depending on the generation this mottling can be intensely coloured. The upper side is white with dark wingtips.
Brimstone’s are the original ‘butter-coloured fly’. Males have sulphur-yellow wings while the female is a very pale lemon or a greenish yellow. When perched with their wings closed, they have a distinctly leaf-like shape. Brimstones are one of the first signs of spring as on the first warm days in March the increase in temperature rouses the males from hibernation. Brimstones also have a spiralling courtship flight which only takes place in the spring.
Other species found at the reserve include Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlet, Comma, Gatekeeper and Small Copper. Keep an eye out for butterflies fluttering amongst the plants as you stroll along the grass path of the Reedbed Loop and on the way to the Viewing Structure.
Butterfly Conservation have a helpful identification page to ID any butterflies which you might see. It can be found here: https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/identify-a-butterfly
If you want to attract butterflies to your garden one way to do this is to plant butterfly-friendly plants. The RSPB has advice on how to do this here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/nature-on-your-doorstep/garden-activities/grow-butterfly-flowers-and-plants/
(L-R) Peacock, Green-veined White & Brimstone. 's John Crispin
The sneaky slitherers: Grass Snakes
The Grass Snake is the largest and most abundant of our snakes in the UK and August is a great time to try and spot this non-venomous, sun-loving serpent at Greylake. Greenish grey with a yellow and black collar around the neck, dark markings down the sides and a pale belly they can grow up to 1.5 metres in length (as long as some adult humans are tall!) and live for up to 25 years. August is the start of the hatching season for Grass Snakes after the females deposited their eggs (up to 40) in a warm moist spot at the beginning of the summer. They are the UK’s only egg-laying snake with the eggs taking 6-10 weeks to hatch. Newly hatched Grass Snakes are about 10-15 cm long and look like miniature versions of their parents.
Grass Snakes are strong swimmers and after spending some time on a summer’s day warming up by basking in a sheltered spot, they will set off into the water to hunt. They stalk their prey, of amphibians and fish, both above and below the water's surface. As you are walking around the reserve keep a watchful eye on the water to see if you can see a grass snake lurking there. Grass Snakes can be quite shy and will dive for cover both on land and water at the sight of a human. If they are threatened by predators and unable to escape, they will ‘play dead’ and when caught they hiss and squirt a fowl-smelling substance from their anal gland.
If you want to attract Grass Snakes to your garden you could add a compost heap. The RSPB has advice on building a compost heap here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/compost-heaps/ .
Grass Snake, Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
So, fellow wildlife enthusiasts, don your explorer’s hat, pack your binoculars, cameras and your lunch, and head to Greylake for an unforgettable encounter with some of the UK’s most extraordinary creatures. We’d love to see any photos or videos you take – why not share them with us on social media using the hashtag #RSPBGreylake and tagging @RSPBHamWall. Happy wildlife watching!
Accessibility:
Our circular Easy Access trail (1/2 mile/ 700 metres) provides level, hard-standing access to both of the hides from the car park. The Reedbed Loop is an undulating grass path (1/2 mile / 800 metres) around the reedbed. There is an additional there and back (3/4 mile/ 1000 metres) from the Reedbed Loop to the viewpoint.
There are no toilets or refreshment facilities available at this reserve.
For our full accessibility guide see: https://www.accessibilityguides.org/content/rspb-greylake
How to get to Greylake:
The reserve postcode is: TA7 9BP. The What3Words location is: incurs.animator.codes.
For further information on travelling to Greylake see the ‘How to get here’ section on our website: https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/greylake/
What else can I see at Greylake?
Little egrets, grey herons, kestrels and buzzards are nearly always visible throughout the summer period, with occasional sightings of stoats, hares, and water voles. It may be possible to catch a glimpse of a majestic crane on the ground or cruising high in the thermals overhead. Keep a look out for the shy water rail and listen for its squealing call ringing out from within the reeds.
Click the link below to download a copy of the Greylake Map to take with you.