We were thrilled last night to see this newly emerged dragonfly - Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) I believe - on one of the plants in the middle of the garden pond.
If you click on this photo to enlarge it you may be able to just make out two other exuviae towards the top centre of the picture
In fact we counted 5 exuviae on this one plant - together with the 3 we have already found this means 8 dragonflies have emerged recently which is great news.
Exuvia
Finally butterflies seem at long last to be returning to the garden. Holly Blue and Gatekeeper were seen this morning.
Gatekeeper
Exuvia:) Look at those newly formed wings!!! How gorgeous! I think I would be so excited to see something like this in my own garden....and you made it happen:) That Gatekeeper is lovely. I don't think I've ever seen one before....very classic butterfly design. Hope all is going well in your world. All my best. Chris:)
ReplyDeleteAs if by magic! How wonderful.
ReplyDeleteRohrerbot - Many thanks Chris - really exciting when you find something like this in your garden :) Its amazing the wildlife that ponds can attract :) I'm fine thanks - hope you are too! Enjoy the rest of the weekend:)
ReplyDeleteToffeeapple - Many thanks! Still thrilled!
Hi Caroline, How lovely! It must be a real thrill to know they are there because you gave them the right habitat :-) Good to see more butterflies are visiting you too.
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting time you had in London, an experience you will never forget I'm sure! So glad you have some lovely photos to remember it all. I probably shouldn't admit it but I have never been to London! I wonder if I'm the only person in the whole country who hasn't. I've always been a bit of a country mouse I suppose and tend to avoid built up areas and crowded places if I can. It makes me sound a bit odd but I'm really not...honest! :-)
I have been surprised by how much I have enjoyed the Olympics. Saturday evening was just incredible!!! Then of course Andy Murray triumphed today, what a display that was! Federer must have wondered what had hit him ;-)
ShySongbird
ReplyDeleteHi Jan - Yes, I am really thrilled about the wildlife the pond attracts. Good to see the dragonfly as we haven't seen many dragon or damselflies in the last couple of years.
London was a lovely experience but I was mainly pleased that David finally got tickets to a Olympic event as he has been talking about going since we first knew London was hosting the games!
I know exactly what you mean about cities and crowded places - I would much rather be in the country myself :) I do though quite enjoy London for the occasional visit. We used to go a lot when I was little - somehow in the days before motorways we would get there to see changing of the guard at 10.00 a.m.!!! We took the children a couple of times when they were little mainly because David wanted to go to the Natural HIstory Museum for his birthday treat. But in recent years I have only been a few times.
I often feel odd that none of us have passports! I do get very strange looks when I have been asked for photo id and say I haven't got any and I get a comment like well surely you have a passport!
I have to admit I have never been much of an Olympics fan in the past. But yes it has been incredibly exciting and I am so pleased that Andy Murray won yesterday - he so deserved it. Shame about him and Laura Robson but they did incredibly well to get silver :)
ps Don't tell David but I would swap the London trip for your Purple Emperor sighting any day!!! :)
Congrats on the dragonfly, beautiful! I feel the same way about crowded places, what a lot we are ay?
ReplyDeleteOmi - Many thanks. LOL about the crowded places comment! I've been known to walk away from places that I love if I spot loads of people there!
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