Ruddy darter

Ruddy darter

Ruddy darter

Southern hawker

Migrant hawker

Bold Moss, St Helens,
I picked Chris Derrie up from prescot reservoirs and off we went in search of emerald damselflies at Bold Moss. I have never been to this site before so Chris could act as tour guide.
Fisrt we found a Migrant hawker hanging in a small Alder, good start. We then went up to the top ponds and on the way we saw willow tit but hearing it first. Plenty of emperors, Brown hawker, 4 spotted chasers, black tailed skimmers , common darters and blue damsels but no emeralds. We then walked around the other side and a southern hawker was hanging in a birch allowing very close approach. A good day so far. We then looked in a small opening in the vegatation onto the pond. I noticed a very red, blood red darter perched not very far away. I said to Chris that we had better check it for red veined or ruddy. We realised it was shorter in lenght, narrow waisted and the legs were totally black, no yellow on the sides of the thorax. It was a ruddy darter. A good day just got better. We never did see the emeralds but we will just have to come back another day.
An Argyresthia brockeella (Micro moth) was seen on a birch tree leaf.