Hi!

You really are a big kid!! Ours are just coming out as well, (red and blue damselflies, and those wonky helicopter french ones). Not in big numbers yet, but they are there.

And there are fry too for the stickelbacks--it is war in there. As it is warm, there are three frogs sunning themselves above water I can see--and few tadpoles but loads of froglets. It all seems much earlier this year. I know there are newts as I catch sight in the evenings sometimes, but there are so many places to hide it is hard to know. No sign of 'Kinky' yet (one with a distinctive kink in the tail that has come back for three years,) but I keep hoping it is just that he's in the water starwort forest. There is so much going on we just can't see!

Looking forward to the first dragonfly exuvia. I tend to bring them into work as a kind of 'ice breaker'. You do find out who is squeamish though, and as they say, the bigger they are the quicker they run out of the room!

Yes, my colleagues know I am very mad indeed....

Happy ponding.

Chip

Hi Chip,

You are far ahead of the rest of us by the sounds of it - lucky you!

I read your page and saw that you give names to your frogs and so do I with some of them! My favourite is Mr Toff because he's got distinctive markings and has striped legs. He looks like he's in a pin-stripe suit!! When he's not in the water, he sits in the same place by the side of the pond.

I've got a pair of good binoculars which are brilliant for watching all the creatures. Do you really have those demoiselles? They're beautiful but they need running water, don't they?
Big Kid

You know, I am assuming they are the demoiselles because that is what someone called them when I described their flight pattern. The 'beautiful' version does like running water, but the other more common banded one I notice likes mud, and we have plenty of that. But, these ones are rather more dull than metallic. So next time one does stay still, I will study it very very carefully and see what they really are. They may not be french at all!

It is funny how frogs and toads do seem to have their own territories, so tend to see the same ones in the same place. With the exemption of the ones that are very strikingly marked, it is hard to tell the frogs apart (we have a lot of white throated olive coloured ones). But the toads seem very distinctive!

I do get rather attached....

Chip

A couple of years ago I had odd damselflies that flitted about a bit like a helicopter. I can remember that they were quite a dull colour. They didn't hang around for long, so I guess my pond wasn't the right kind of territory they needed.

I've just looked Demoiselles up in a brill book I bought with Christmas money, called 'Complete British Insects' by Michael Chinery (published by Collins.) It's £16.99 but for insect nuts like me, it's worth every penny and they are proper photographs.

I didn't know there were two types of Demoiselle, the 'Banded' and the 'Beautiful.' Chip, it seems that you might well have the banded ones because they breed in slow moving, usually muddy streams. The males are mettalic green or blue and the females green with greenish-yellow wings. I think my visitors were probably female beautiful demoiselles which have brownish wings.

I hope we get a load of sun this summer because I think dragonflies/damselflies need the sun before they fly. It certainly seems that the wet weather keeps them well away.
Big Kid

Chip,
P.S. to the above re demoiselles, another book I have, 'Collins wild guide on insects' calls the second demoiselle 'demoiselle agrion' (Calopteryx virgo)

Thanks for that! I have been using the website of the british dragonfly society, but the problem is that I am not on-line by the pond, so when I go up to check later on I can't be sure what I am seeing! Must invest in a proper bug book.

You are right about needing sun to fly though. I was out by the pond the other day and it was quiet, and then the sun came out and a dozen assorted damselflies were darting about! From where??!!

Did see a gigantic nymph in the pond, so hopefully the big guys will be out soon.

we will see!

Chip

Here is a link that might be useful: British Dragonfly society

Can't wait! Absolutely love the big guys and I've watched them swooping around the garden eating every midge/mossie in sight. Years ago (before I built the pond)there were bats in the area and I used to love sitting there watching them flitter backwards and forwards across the gardens. Don't know what happened to them - maybe something got filled in or pulled down where they used to hang out. Very sad they're not around any more but dragonflies help keep me bite-free!!
Big Kid