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Butterfly and Dragonfly IDs

LucidLucid Posts: 387
in Wildlife gardening

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone might have an idea which type of dragonfly and butterfly these are?

My guess for the dragonfly is a Common Darter (immature male):

image

The butterfly I'm completely stuck on as it's got two white dots in the eye marking and I can't find one that matches with that:

image

Thanks for any input,

Lucid image

Posts

  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291

    The butterfly might be a Meadow Brown although Small Heath is similar (but smaller)?

    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291

    Actually - just researched and found the Gatekeeper and that has the two spots so could be that.

    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291

    http://butterfly-conservation.org/679-1038/gatekeeper.html

    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • LucidLucid Posts: 387

    Thanks so much AuntyRach. I'm sure it's a Gatekeeper. I think I passed by that one when searching earlier because it looks so orange in the main photo, but if you look at the underwing photo they look very similar.

    Lucid image

  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291

    Ditto! Thats the magic thing with butterflies - they can look quite plain when the wings are closed and until they fly away you don't see the other colours. Pleasure to help. 

    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • LucidLucid Posts: 387

    Does anyone have any thoughts on the dragonfly? Common Darter was the closest I could get, but I'm not sure if that's right.

    Lucid image

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    I think you're right.  The only other one it might be is Red-veined darter but I can't tell if there are red veins on the leading edge of the wings from the photo.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LucidLucid Posts: 387

    Thanks a lot BobTheGardener. It's hard to see but I don't see any red veins so I think I'll go with the common darter for now. Have to see if it comes back. image

    Lucid image 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,145

    Why? image  They're totally harmless and fascinating to watch.  We get lots of them in our garden as we live surrounded by  the Norfolk Broads. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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