The original driving force behind this trip was finally to see my one missing UK species, Coenagrion lunulatum (Crescent Bluet/Irish Damselfly). I had made two attempts to find it at the Lac de l’Estivadoux in the Auvergne, France but had failed on both occasions. That was in 2018 and 2023. The lake supposedly supports a population but I had no luck. I now suspect, that I was too late in the season, having visited in late June.
A friend of mine in the Netherlands, Antoine van der Heijden, knew where there was a population and had offered to show me, finally filling the one gap in my UK catalogue. However, he was also keen to lead me to the five European Whiteface species, all of which exist in his region of the Netherlands. We have but one whiteface in the UK and I had seen two others in France but it would be great to complete the set. Getting more, hopefully better pictures of those that I had already seen would also be very welcome.
Having visited Antoine two years ago, I had found an excellent, adults only campsite near to our quarries. This is Jelly’s Hoeve in Havelte, run by a very friendly couple and I recommend it highly. Last time we’d stayed in a rented apartment on the property but this time we took our motor home to stay on the campsite itself. I booked a Stena Line ferry, which is also excellent, from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and Antoine graciously entertained us for five days. When we were done in the Netherlands we crossed over into France for the rest of our main summer break. (I’m not including any French details ‘cos I did very little, there.)
In the following write-up, species new to me are in bold type.
Fochteloërveen B, 24 May [#1]
The day we arrived and day #1 with Antoine, who was immediately on the case. He had an unexpected Friday free and offered to take me straight out to find my main quarry.
There is a Fochterloëveen A on my overall Netherlands map but I split this area out because the habitat seemed quite different from A , as were some of the species. It must be noted, though, that the time of year was also different.
This was the site of my bête noire, Coenagrion lunulatum (Crescent Bluet/Irish Damselfly) which I’m happy to say that Antoine found for me. He said he was a bit concerned that this was quite late in their flight season, which is why I now suspect that I just too late looking for it in the Auvergne at Lac de l’Estivadoux in late June.
The other star here was the first of our five whitefaces, Leucorrhinia rubicunda (Ruby Whiteface). There was also Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Yellow-spotted Whiteface) which I failed to get a picture of, here, but which I did have a single shot of from the Pinail Trail in France.
- Coenagrion lunulatum (Crescent Bluet)
- Coenagrion puella (Azure Bluet)
- Coenagrion pulchellum (Variable Bluet)
- Ceriagrion tenellum (Small Red Damsel)
- Enallagma cyathigerum (Common Bluet)
- Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Yellow-spotted Whiteface)
- Leucorrhinia rubicunda (Ruby Whiteface)
Jelly’s Hoeve, 24-27 May [#2]
This is simply a collection of visitors over the various days that we saw whilst staying at the farm site, the most surprising of which was Gomphus vulgatissimus (Common Clubtail).
- Coenagrion puella (Azure Bluet)
- Platycnemis pennipes (Blue Featherleg)
- Aeshna isoceles (Green-eyed Hawker)
- Gomphus vulgatissimus (Common Clubtail)
- Libellula depressa (Broad-bodied Chaser)
- Libellula fulva (Blue Chaser)
- Libellula quadrimaculata (Four-spotted Chaser)
Havelte Pond, 25 May [#3]
We were on our own today and went to look at a small pond in the middle of Havelte. I was quite pleased to see Cordulia aenea (Downy Emerald) active here but Antoine later explained that these were as common as muck in the Netherlands, pretty much being on every pond.
- Coenagrion puella (Azure Damsel)
- Erythromma najas (Large Redeye)
- Ischnura elegans (Common Bluetail)
- Pyrrhosoms nymphula (Large Red Damsel)
- Anax imperator (Blue Emperor)
- Cordulia aenea (Downy Emerald)
Terhorsterzand, 26 May [#4]
Day #2 with Antoine, who took me to this extensive habitat. The target here was Leucorrhinia albifrons (Dark Whiteface), which we did find. There is something a little perverse about a scientific name of albifrons and a common name featuring “dark”.
- Enallagma cyathigerum (Common Bluet)
- Aeshna isoceles (Green-eyed hawker)
- Anax imperator (Blue Emperor)
- Leucorrhinia albifrons (Dark Whiteface)
- Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Yellow-spotted Whiteface)
- Libellula depressa (Broad-bodied Chaser)
- Libellula quadrimaculata (Four-spotted Chaser)
- Orthetrum cancellatum (Black-tailed Skimmer)
De Weerribben, 26 May [#5]
Day #2 with Antoine, part #2 and he took me back to De Weerribben. I say back because this was one of the main sites he introduced me to when I first visited him in the Netherlands in 2022. It is an amazingly extensive habitat with many species, though this time we focused on one restricted area and another whiteface, Leucorrhinia caudalis (Lilypad Whiteface). I’d seen this character at a site in La Brenne, France, but was happy to have another crack at it with better access.
My main Netherlands map has just one combined list but I’ve tried to cut this down to those that we saw this time around, though my records are a little lax.
- Erythromma najas (Large Redeye)
- Aeshna isoceles (Green-eyed Hawker)
- Crocothemis erythraea (Broad Scarlet)
- Leucorrhinia caudalis (Lilypad Whiteface)
- Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Yellow-spotted Whiteface)
- Libellula quadrimaculata (Four-spotted Chaser)
- Libellula fulva (Blue Chaser)
Duerswald, 27 May [#6]
And so to the last of the five European whiteface species and the one that we have at home in the UK, Leucorrhinia dubia (Small Whiteface, a.k.a. White-faced Darter in Britspeak). My best catch here was a very cooperatively posed female.
My lax record keeping means that his is probably not an exhaustive list.
- Ceriagrion tenellum (Small Red Damsel)
- Enallagma cyathigerum (Common Bluet)
- Leucorrhinia dubia (Small Whiteface)
- Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Yellow-spotted Whiteface)
- Libellula quadrimaculata (Four-spotted Chaser)
Havelte Flush, 27 May [#7]
This was an unexpected pleasure. Carol had been cycling around Havelte amusing herself whilst I was out with Antoine one day and she described seeing a “flush” with Bluetails. I got excited at the word flush, where Bluetails are concerned, and asked if they might have been Ischnura pumilio (Small Bluetail/Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly). She couldn’t say. So, we returned having bad farewell to Antoine and, sure enough, we had found a colony of I. pumilio. I. elegans (Common Bluetail) was also present.
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- Coenagrion puella (Azure Bluet)
- Ischnura elegans (Common Bluetail)
- Ischnura pumilio (Small Bluetail)
- Pyrrhosoma nymphula (Large Red Damsel)
- Libellula depressa (Broad-bodied Chaser)
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