Treskilling Pit

Information by ...R.Lane. 24th May 2010

"Treskilling Downs and the huge fisherman's lake to the S.W. Treskilling Pit, an ancient Clay working (and pumping station?), are linked by the large Dragonfly fauna. The Damsel and Dragon-flies which use the lake later in the summer, emerge from a nymph in the lake (by climbing reed stems) and expanding their wings(much like a butterfly). However, dragon flies are insect eaters and they head for TreK Dwns to feed up to sexual maturity, only then do they return to the lake. This immature stage is called 'teneral' and is often very different to the mature insect we see over the lakes, so best only to concern ourselves with the mature insect which is the one illustrated in books(and on computers).
Today for instance, albeit a very late year for butterflies and dragonflies I managed to see the following types of Damselfly: 3 x Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo)
30+, Large Red Damselfies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
5+, Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
10+, Common Blue Damsels (Enallagma cyathigerum)
20+, Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ishnura elegans)
Also the following few Dragonflies:
4 x Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
1 x Broad-bodied Chaser( Libellula depressa)
Other dragonflies I have seen this year, admittedly at other sites (but are annual at TresK Pit also), are:
1 x Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
and 1 x Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii)
This is a fairly poor showing for late May indicating that the dragonfly season is c. 3 weeks late.
Now just forget about the LATIN NAMES, I'll try not to use them again !!! Just to show that each species has one, and they may all be found in an excellent pocket book "Field Guide to the DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES of Great Britain & Ireland" (Brooks and Lewington), along with many others.
Today's oddments to follow, hopefully, unless I fall asleep first ! Even birds mentioned !"

Thanks for that technical information Roger....top class stuff. I will add Treskilling Pit to the list of Baywatch Sites as it it just down a track from Treskilling Downs.