Cornish Nature

Cornwall Dragonfly Group

Dragonfly recording & the future of Cornwall Dragonfly Group

A discussion led by Steve Jones & Dave Thomas

Thursday 29th March 7.30pm

An opportunity to discuss dragonfly recording for the new flying season ahead, the future of Cornwall Dragonfly Group, and a chance to show a few of your best dragonfly shots to a wider audience.

Early Brimstone at Breney Common

On the 11th February 2012 I reached the grand old age of 50 and to mark the event I decided to get as many people as possible to attend a scrub bash at Breney Common, one of the most important wildlife reserves in Cornwall.

For the uninitiated scrub bashing is an activity where volunteers of all ages & backgrounds meet up at a wildlife site and take out all their pent up stress, anxiety & anger in an orgy of destruction directed at Gorse & Willows.

Cornwall Dragonfly Group

The Dragonflies of Cornwall & Andalucia by Steve Jones

Thursday 23rd February 7.30pm. Note: This is the corrected date.

An illustrated talk on dragonflies, their lifecycle, behaviour, & habitats by the county recorder & local wildlife photographer Steve Jones

The Twenty-plume Moth - Alucita hexadactyla

My first photograph of any description in 2012 is this backlit Twenty-plume Moth - Alucita hexadactyla, photographed on the window at home in Godolphin Cross while I listened to Wolves loosing to a referee assisted Chelski, 1 - 2!

This very common little moth has a wingspan of around 15mm and is the only representative of it's family currently known from the UK. The adult moth can be found throughout the year, including January, hence it's appearance during this admittedly mild mid winter period.

I got an Ergot!

During an early evening walk around Trelusback Farm near Stithians, on Monday 29th August 2011, I came across a number of Common Blue Butterflies – Polyommatus icarus settling down to roost amongst the tall grasses that had sprung up where volunteers from the Cornwall Butterly Conservation group had worked hard to expand a clearing during the late winter & early spring of 2011.

This area had been cleared of gorse and willows to allow Purple Moor Grass - Molinia caerulea and Devil’s Bit Scabious - Succisa pratensis to flourish, these being the key elements of prime habitat in which the rare Marsh Fritillary – Euphydryas aurinia can thrive. Although it is too early to tell if the management work will ultimately be successful in it’s aims, the signs are good with both plant species doing well. The Common Blue’s were certainly making good use of the location and were obvious candidates for a photograph.

25 Years of Dragonfly Field Meetings in Cornwall
Some personal ramblings on the rise & fall of the Cornwall Dragonfly Group

It is now 25 years since Dave Thomas & Steve Jones led the first British Dragonfly Society field meeting to take place in Cornwall at Red Moor & Breney Common on the 19th July 1986.
On a bright and sunny day 22 people came along to that first meeting, including former dragonfly county recorders, Pat Paton (1962 to 1975) and Harry Robinson (1976 to 1988). Others had travelled from as far a field as Devon & Hampshire.