August

August is a month of preparation for the shorter days of Autumn. Just about all the year's dragons, damsels and butterflies have made their adult emergence and are either preparing to reproduce and die or to gather enough energy food to survive the winter in hibernation.

In the reserve now are southern hawker dragonflies, either hawking for prey in the sunnier glades, or patrolling the mill and refuge ponds, and gatekeeper butterflies. Neither of these species will survive the winter although the dragonflies can sometimes hang on into November if there remains enough prey to keep them alive.

Winter hibernating peacock butterflies can be seen nectaring off the buddleia around the barn and on the edge of the garden. Red admirals share the bountiful nectar source of this shrub, often called the butterfly bush. Red admirals can sometimes survive a mild winter but most of them are continental immigrants or their descendants and will not live through a cold winter. Peacocks seek out shelter such as garden sheds and go into hibernation until the first warm period in Spring.

Also look out for comma butterflies and common darter dragonflies.

Red admiral nectaring on buddleia.

Peacock nectaring on buddleia

Female southern hawker resting in scrub at the north-eastern end of the reserve. She will catch prey on the wing, feeding up until she has the strength to mate and lay eggs in water for the next generation.