Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

Immature Common Darter at the Dragonfly pool, July 25, 2011 (photo BS)

Very common all over Reserve. Breeding.

2009: 24/7: 2 tenerals at Dragonfly pool; 10/7: 10+ at Dragonfly pool, incl 5 tenerals; 23/7: 13; 1/8: 4; 5/8: 30+; 22/8: 24; 9/9: 25; 12/9: 50+; 20/9: 10; 7/10: 8m+ 2f; 17/10: one by Access road; 23/10: 5 including tandem pair; 31/10: 2 seen.

2010: 24/6: one immature; 3/7: one male; 11/7: 11; 23/7: 6; 12/8: 10; 8 & 15/8: 30+ seen; 16+; 21/8: 40+ seen; 29/8: 2; 4/9: 50+ seen; 17/9: 6; 2/10: 5.

2011: 23/7: 2; 25/7: 20+; 30/7: 30+; 9/8, 14/8, 18/8, 21/8 (40+), 25/8, 23/8, 31/8, 4/9 (30+), 23/9, 25/9, 1/10 (50+, incl 2 tenerals), 15/10, 21/10 (20+, incl 5 pairs ovipositing), 28/10 (20+, incl 3 pairs ovipositing), 30/10, 6/11: 16+, incl 2 pairs ovipositing, very frequent especially near Dragonfly pool; 12/11: 12+, incl 4 pairs ovipositing, 24/11: one on fence post by path N of FP; 27/11: another on fence by path N of FP; also several near 'hairstreak' stile at BWF including one female (5-7 seen overall during the day).

2012: Too frequent to itemise. The first sighting was a single female on June 6 at the Dragonfly pool with the last sighting on Nov 23 when ‘several’ were seen sunning themselves on a mild day on fence posts  near the Boilton Wood stile.  Numbers built up gradually during July with large numbers  counted between August and September (a peak of 200+ reached on August 14). There were still good numbers well into October  (40+ on October 7) and counts remained in double figures into early November (e.g. 12+ on November 5).

2013: Recorded June 26-November 22. This species was too frequent and widespread over most of the Reserve to be itemised in detail. The first sighting was of a single on June 26 at the Dragonfly pool and the last was of two males on November 22 in a sheltered area near Boilton Wood. Numbers started to build up in early July to attain regular counts of 30+ in August and throughout September, but towards the end of that month many were showing signs of wear. In early October numbers started to decline and  by November only a few were seen with the last ones (2 males) at the Hairstreak stile on November 22. This is by far the commonest dragonfly (as opposed to damselfly) on the Reserve.  

 

2014: Very common across the Reserve. First sighting was of one male near the polytunnel on 26/7, with huge numbers during September. Last record 30/11 near the polytunnel by LG - this appears to be the latest ever sighting on the Reserve.

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