Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

NOTES ON DRAGONFLIES IN WALES IN 1956. BRYAN L. SAGE, F.R.E.S. Fewer records were received this year than in 1955 due partly to the fact that it has been a poor year for dragonflies. The scarce Coenagrion mercuriale was again reported from Pembrokeshire in numbers. I wish to record my thanks to the following corres- pondents whose observations are indicated in the text by their initials-Mrs. M. Barnes (M.B.), Peter Davis (P.D.), T. A. W. Davis (T.A.W.D.), Dr. Lewis Lloyd-Evans (L.L-E), P. M. Miles (P.M.M.), B. L. Sage (B.L.S.), J. F. Thomas (J.F.T.) and H. R. H. Vaughan (H.R.H.V.). ODONATA Agriidae. — Agrion virgo (Linnaeus). Demoiselle Agrion. — Brecon a few males by the canal at Llangynidr on 20th July (L.L-E.). Merioneth a male by the Afon Dysynni on 26th June (B.L.S.). Pembs. an adult male at St. Ishmael's on 24th June, and a teneral specimen on 27th June (T.A.W.D.). Quite numerous along the banks of mill leat on the Western Cleddau, near Letterston, on 27th July (L.L-E.). Agrion splendens (Harris) Banded Agrion.- Pembs very abundant along the River Alum above Porthclais, St. David's, on 24th July. Abundant on Dowrog Moor on 26th July. Seen along Mill leat on the Western Cleddau, near Letterston, on 27th July, flying in company with A. virgo (L.L-E.). The habit these two species have of flying together was remarked upon in 1941, Lloyd, Bertram 1944, Dragonflies of Pembrokeshire. Entomologist 77 113-118. LESTlDAE.-Lestes sponsa (Hansemann) Green Lestes. — Pembs con- centrated in large numbers round a pool on Trefeiddan Moor on 22nd July, and on Dowrog Moor, St. David's, on 26th July (L.L.E.). COENAGRIIDAE.- Pyrrhosoma nymphula (Sulzer). Large Red Damsel Fly. — Merioneth several individuals of both sexes found by a small stream at an altitude of 900 feet on the Cader Idris range immediately above Tal-y-llyn on 27th June (B.L.S.). Pembs: a few round a small pool between Carnllidi and St. David's Head on 25th July (L.L-E.). Ischnura elegans (Van der Linden) Common Ischnura.-Carms taken at the Witchett on Laugharne Burrows on 19th and 26th May (J.F.T.). Pembs. abundant at a pool on Trefeiddan Moor, St. David's, on 22nd July. One was seen to seize, but failed to hold, a grasshopper about half an inch long. A few round a small pool on St. David's Head on 25th July, including a female, var. rufescens, laying eggs on the underside of the leaves of the Broad-leaved Pondweed Potomogeton polygonifolius. Common round the pools on Dowrog Moor on 26th July. A few seen on Waunfawr, St. David's, on 3rd August. Very abundant and mating round the decoy pond at Orielton on 11th August, including many female var. rufescens (L.L-E.). Enallagma cyathigerum (Charpen- tier) Common Blue Damsel Fly. — Carms one found in a spider's web at the Witchett, on Laugharne Burrows, on 23rd June (J.F.T.). Mr. Thomas was unable to ascertain which species of spider the web belonged to, but it was quite probably Araneus cornutus (Clerck) which spins a large orb web on plants in damp situations. This damsel fly has previously been recorded as a victim of this spider by Gros, A. E. le; 1953. "A Note on Dragonflies as prey of Spiders." London Naturalist No. 33 3-4. Pembs a single male seen on the bank of Rosebush Reservoir on 2nd August (L;L-E.). Coenagrion puellum (Linnaeus.) Common Coenagrion. — Pembs a single male by a pool on Trefeiddan Moor on 22nd July (L.L-E.). Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier) Southern Coen- agrion. — Pembs this very scarce species was first recorded in Pembrokeshire in 1938. Lloyd, Bertram, 1944, Dragonflies of Pembrokeshire Entomologist 77 114 and 115, and was still in existence in 1939. There is no recent in- formation regarding this colony. A second colony was found in a different site in 1951 (ibid 82 239). Dr. Lloyd-Evans was extremely fortunate in locating