The list of Dragonflies and Damselflies at Lamorbey lake has been suspiciously short, but has already been increased this season by three to a total of eight.
Ian Stewart has been out and about round Lamorbey in the last week, and reports Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser, Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselflies, Blue-tailed Damselflies and mating Red-eyed damselflies.
A male Emperor Dragonfly. (Photo: Ralph Todd).
Broad-bodied Chaser was seen at the private Sidcup Golf Course lake on May 27th by Chris Rose, and was therefore likely to show up on the part-public Lamorbey lake as well. Common Blue Damselfly typically inhabits larger waterbodies so was predicted, but not previously recorded, and the Banded Demoiselles can easily wander from the Shuttle where Ian has seen good numbers above Penhill Road.
With further observation it seems pretty likely that Migrant Hawker can be added to the list later in the year. Black-tailed Skimmer and Small Red-eyed may also be possible.
Lamorbey is worthy of more attention from local naturalists than perhaps it gets. There is a good list birds including Coal Tit and Kingfisher. It was an early site for the Ringlet butterfly expansion and merits further watching for the possibility of White-letter Hairstreaks on the Elm suckers. It is one of only two known sites in the Borough for Slender St. John’s-wort.
The full Lamorbey Odonata list is now 8 species:
Emperor Dragonfly
Broad-bodied Chaser
Azure Blue Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Red-eyed Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
Banded Demoiselle
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