Anna McCann has sent in the first sighting of Keeled Skimmer for this year. This female (left) was recorded roughley half a km from a known breeding area on the Long Mynd, but is a reminder that last year this rare Shropshire species was recorded in a few new locations. Tell tale signs are the ochre coloured pterostigma, antehumeral stripes and also strong yellow antenodal crossveins (essentially cross veins perpendicular to the length of the wing)…and don’t forget mature males are powder blue.
Julian Livsey has been out and about checking some of the lower slopes of the Stiperstones for the Stepping Stones Project and has sent in this wonderful female Broad-bodied Chaser (below left) illustrating clearly why it has this common name!
