Dragonfly Walk

At the weekend we went for a walk in Ashdown Forest with Sussex Wildlife Trust looking for dragonflies - and we found plenty.  Two of the species were comparatively rare - the Keeled Skimmer and the Small Red Damselfly.  Both of these need the unshaded slightly acidic conditions typical of the heathland habitat in Ashdown Forest.  Everybody got a good look at the rarities and we had very good views of the not so rare species like the spectacular Golden-ringed Dragonfly and the smartly dressed Black Darter.  We finished off at the ponds in a private garden looking for Brilliant Emerald dragonflies.  We didn't see any but had lots of fun trying to distinguish between Red-eyed damselflies and Small Red-eyed damselflies.

Small Red Damselfly - Ceriagrium tenellum

Keeled Skimmer male - Orthetrum coerulescens

Keeled Skimmer female - Orthetrum coerulescens

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Cordulegaster boltonii

Ruddy Darter - Sympetrum sanguineum

Black Darter - Sympetrum danae

Black Darter - Sympetrum danae

White-legged damselfly - Platycnemis pennipes