Download “Dragonflies in Devon” by Dave Smallshire
Dave Smallshire, veteran County Dragonfly Recorder for Devon, has released a guide to the county’s Dragonflies, which you can download here, or from the Devon BDS page. The publication provides and in depth account of the county’s species as well as the history of dragonfly recording in Devon. Image by Richard Munckton
‘Ecological vandalism’ on the River Lugg
A mile of the River Lugg, near Kingsland, has been illegal bulldozed and straightened while the surrounding trees have been cut down. The River Lugg is designated a SSSI, site of special scientific interest, due to its high ecological value. The river support numerous species of dragonfly, as well as protected species such as Otter.…
Pond Ponderings: Only one year old and full of dragonflies!
An update from Pamela Styles on her fairly new pond in Wales: Now that we’ve reached the end of a summer that was very different than expected, I’m even more grateful for the wildlife pond in my garden than I was last year! I have spent immeasurable hours sitting beside it over the past…
Pesticide Pollution from Pet Flea Treatment Aquatic Invertebrates
A recent study from the University of Sussex found fipronil, a chemical mostly widely used in pet flea treatment, in 99% of a near 400000 water samples taken from 20 UK rivers. Imidacloprid, another pesticide found in pet flea treatment, was found in 66% of samples. Fipronil and imidacloprid are potent nerve agents that are…
Pesticides from salad crops polluting Southern Damselfly chalk streams
The Guardian has reported that a watercress plant run by Bakkavor is due to close at the end of this month after environmentalists from the Salmon & Trout Conservation Trust discovered it was polluting the Upper Itchen with neonicotinoid pesticides. The Itchen is a rare and protected chalk stream that is home to a wealth…
Fifth edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) released
“Humanity stands at a crossroads with regard to the legacy it leaves to future generations. Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, and the pressures driving this decline are intensifying. None of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets will be fully met, in turn threatening the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and undermining efforts to…
Southern Damselflies found at new sites in Pembrokeshire
A £19,000 grant from Natural Resources Wales has resulted in the enhancement of over 100 sites in Pembrokeshire. Following habitat management work, surveyors identified Southern Damselflies (Coenagrion mercuriale) at seven news sites including Blaencleddau, Dolau Isaf and Waun Isaf. As the Southern Damselfly is currently categorised as endangered these results have massive implications for the…
Most of England’s rivers polluted, reports EA
According to the most recent figures from the Environment Agency 86% of rivers in England are failing to meet ecological standards. While conditions have improved since the 1990s the report reveals that we are completely off track to meet the 2027 target of having 100% healthy waters. The three main culprits behind our polluted rivers…
Pond Ponderings – from St. Andrew’s House in Exmouth
Our newest Pond Ponderings writer is Richard Spencer, who has worked on a fantastic pond project for the benefit of both people and dragonflies in Exmouth: “St. Andrew’s House is a residential project in Exmouth for adults with a history of mental health problems, run by SAHA (Salvation Army Housing Association). Being a converted…
Dragonfly named after BDS County Dragonfly Recorder Bill Budd
Megalogomphus buddi: a Bornean species that breeds in fast flowing forest streams. Until recently it was treated as one and the same as Megalogomphus sumatranus; however, a recent taxonomic review by Dow and Price (2020)1 M. buddi as a novel species based on variations in accessory genitalia. This new species is named after Bill Budd, in…