Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly at Latchmore Bottom - 14th July

The Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly is a species I have looked for on a number of occasions in the last few years, unsuccessfully, in the New Forest although in the past have seen at a number of sites elsewhere in the UK. But today I nailed it. I had a fairly specific site that I had gleaned from the internet at Latchmore Bottom to the south-east of Fordingbridge. After searching various areas that I thought might be suitable as I walked eastwards from the car park at Ogdens farm I realised that this was a bit nonsensical and decided to head straight for my 'known' spot and go from there. On arrival the weather conditions were somewhat windy and overcast and my optimism began to wain but quickly I saw Blue-tailed Damselfly and then Small Red Damselfly and I realised that all was not lost. And then, I came across a rather dull female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly and then a rather stunning immature female of the 'form' aurantiaca, this is actually a development phase of the species. I then came across a mating pair and finally an adult male. I spent the next hour or so getting great views of the species seeing around 10 males, six females and three of the form aurantiaca.

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (adult male) - Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (adult male) - Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (female) - Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly - Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly - Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (immature female of the 'form' aurantiaca) 

- Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (immature female of the 'form' aurantiaca) 

- Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Habitat at Latchmore Bottom supporting Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly. The species was moving around in the wettest area of the bog low amongst the Bog St. John's-wort, Cotton-grass, Purple Moor-grass and Jointed Rush

Bog Asphodel - Latchmore Bottom, Fordingbridge

Ober Water & Silver Water, New Forest - 7th July

I had a spare morning and so decided to head into the New Forest to try and see Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, a species I had tried for in the forest last year but failed to see. I tried Ober Water, a well known site for the species, parking at the Puttles Bridge car park south of the Rhinefield Hotel at SU271029. I then walked west along the Ober Water for around 2km, it was pretty tough going through heathland and bog and I was unsuccessful in my quest but did see a range of species including Beautiful Demoiselle, Gold-ringed Dragonfly, Keeled Skimmer, White-legged Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Black Darter and many Silver-studded Blue.

Female Keeled Skimmer - Ober Water, New Forest

Silver-studded Blue - Ober Water, New Forest

Silver-studded Blue - Ober Water, New Forest

Teneral Black Darter - Ober Water, New Forest

Small Red Damselfly - Ober Water, New Forest

Large Red Damselfly - Ober Water, New Forest

Female White-legged Damselfly - Ober Water, New Forest

Male White-legged Damselfly - Ober Water, New Forest

I then went onto Silver Water which flows south-west from the Puttles Bridge car park, this is also meant to be a good area for Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly and, in hindsight, the habitat close to Rhinefield Road appears suitable but I had no luck. I added Southern Damselfly and Azure Damselfly to the list of species for the morning.

Southern Damselfly - Silver Water, New Forest

Azure Damselfly - Silver Water, New Forest