Good to hear several sightings of Common Darter were made on 15th October; 30 plus individuals seen basking on the rocks near Bayston Hill quarry by Peta Sams and a number also recorded by Stephen Barlow at Whixall Moss- shown here. A closer look reveals some interesting leg positions -whether the first individual was photographed before folding his legs up or whether there was something wrong I’m not sure.
Stephen also saw Common Hawker and Black Darter- the latter seen basking on a variety of locations including his lunch box. The photograph on the far left also appears to show a male Common Darter in tandem with a female Black Darter which is unusual. Common Darter females will become darker in coloration as they over mature, but this female definitely seems to lack the diagnostic striped legs of Common Darter and also has a prominent vulvar scale pointing downward toward the end of the abdomen- typical of Black Darter.