Confirmed by VC59 verifier Glenn Rostron as the Hoverfly Xylota sylvarum. Recorded at Ainsdale NNR on the 17th July 2018. Incredibly this is only the second ever record for the site the previous being from 1959!
Dr Phil Smith: Wildlife Notes June 2018
Reports of Red-eyed Damselflies at new localities in Merseyside led Trevor Davenport and me to visit the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Aintree where this distinctive species can be found perching on Fringed Water-lily leaves. We logged about 25 Red-eyes, including several pairs, as well as four other species of dragonfly in this exceptional month for these...
Dr Phil Smith: Wildlife Notes May 2018
The Met. Office reckoned it was the warmest and sunniest May on record; it was also dry with measurable rainfall on only eight days. Forecasts of torrential thunder-storms came day after day during the last week but all we got were a couple of brief showers on 30th and 31st. The duneland water-table therefore fell...
Red-veined Darters
Information and photo credit Dr Phil Smith, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) have been spotted at Ainsdale Sandhills Local Nature Reserve not farm from the Ainsdale Discovery Centre. This species is found infrequently. Largely considered a migrant but with some breeding populations in the UK, considered unstable by the British Dragonfly Society. Phil discovered three males basking on bare...