Lockdown Diary: Saturday 20.6.20

My son Eddie and I went on a bit of an insect-hunt today. We explored a flower meadow near Etton (just north of Etton), where there had been an explosion of Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies, and also my first Common Blue (butterfly) of the season, there

Common Blue, Etton, Cambs, 20.6.20 (Mike Weedon) Then we went across to Bedford Purlieus, a lovely stretch of ancient woodland near the A47 (the main road to Leicester from Peterborough, and vice versa). This is the site where Dark Green Fritillaries first pioneered a colony a few years ago. A couple of weeks back there were one or two on the wing in the flower-rich meadow they love. Today, there were approaching 100 on the wing there! DGFs remind me of my first butterflying on the downs of Surrey, in my youth. Great butterflies!

Dark Green Fritillaries, Bedford Purlieus, Cambs, 20.6.20

Also there, were many Marbled White butterflies and lots of Emperor dragonflies working the meadows, plus this young Scarce Chaser dragonfly, which was unexpectedly away from water (I normally associate them with well vegetated ditches and slow rivers around here).

Scarce Chaser, Bedford Purlieus, Cambs, 20.6.20