2019 May 28

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Apologies for mislabelling Jochen Möhr’s dragonfly in yesterday’s posting.  Rob Cannings writes:  This is an early Blue-eyed Darner male. If the photograph had included the tip of the cerci, the identification would have been easier. And because it’s recently emerged and immature, the blue eyes don’t show yet. Two clues are: the white spots on either side of the "T-spot" on the vertex of the head indicate that it’s a Rhionaeschna. The lack of a strong black line across the face suggests it’s not R. californica, but rather R. multicolor. The species usually doesn’t appear until late May.

 

   Jeremy continues:  Viewers who are thinking of driving out to Eddy’s Storage to see the Field Crescents should be aware that that section of Stelly’s Cross Road is blocked off because of roadworks.  I parked in Broadview Road and walked a very long way to Eddy’s.  There’s probably a better way.  I saw four of the butterflies at Eddy’s.