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UK Wildlife

Exploring the fauna of Britain

Bedfords Park - first damselflys

Sunday, 4. May 2008, 16:32:46

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Yesterday I popped up to Bedfords Park to try and track down some large red damselflys. I got lucky and found this one:



On the trees near along the bridleway were 100s of these tiny moths

The red deer in the enclosure have shed there antlers but are well on the way to growing a new set

Down near the bluebells the logs were being guarded by male fox spiders
They displayed to each other with there pedipalps (the small antennae like appendages protruding from the head) and the front pair of legs.
I soon saw why, when this female appeared

The weather started to turn for the worse and the light was dropping so I headed home, stopping only to photograph the pair of mute swans on the lake

Jus got back from visiting Epping forest - report on that later

Bedfords parkEpping forest - Wake valley pond

Comments

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The photo of the dragonfly is great! Oh...it's a damselfly. Well, it's still great and so focused!
When I walk up the hill near my house, dragonflys always fly into my face and it freaks me out because I'm never sure what it is.

By galadriel, # 4. May 2008, 23:32:17

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Is that moth one of the tussocks? I'm not great on moth ID :insane:

Fascinating spider shots! :up:

By SittingFox, # 5. May 2008, 12:24:16

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@ galadriel- I actually had one of the damselflys land on my face yasterday - but I didnt freak as I saw it coming and suspected it would land on me and my face was at the same height. Mind you if it were a dragonfly I think I might have been uncomfortable!

By Ukwildlife, # 5. May 2008, 22:47:38

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@ adele - Not sure on the moth. It was 4-6mm long, moths are my weak spot with insects, oh and a couple of years ago a read an article saying they were up to 6000 moth species in Essex :yikes:



thanks for your comments on the photos both of you :smile:

By Ukwildlife, # 5. May 2008, 22:49:42

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Nice shots of the damsels. The large red appeared in our garden this weekend, and an azure damsel. I can't help with the moth (6000? that's as many as there are holes in Blackburn, Lancashire). I really must learn more about spiders. I'm fascinated by them but can scarcely identify any.

By Words, # 5. May 2008, 23:37:27

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I wonder why it landed on your face. If I was a dragonfly, I wouldn't land on another animnal's face, because don't animals usually eat other animals...or maybe they're used to people...

By galadriel, # 6. May 2008, 13:20:26

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