A few more damselflies today; first a male Azure Damselfly:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIediHen6DhgnRHfP9Qujw4vGlxrlDjbXn_kMEY_YYmrR4wi1fB2-z4bUF1u5FdIQlN5BSOR6qJiYdDcx1OimWuuYuP2lr_Xei0LZ_5yZB4Wa5WNXdvDCAqpjqsigj37erIephIS5eDg/s400/azure-damsel-web.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgry3iEEdiuHH457Gk1rV7GhSQzLqafV7h4kd1IgUawQlY7jH-CwHUDyaLb-tDtv-tWxoryceg3nF9iajdQ_y7UiT0lrfWhsZ5zYoCaEhmTHBVE6GtR1KH110UPu5JOIbSyZGByh9PxJw/s280/female-red-damsel.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZOirCn3kBucGR0hdHBRHIUusJINZK_W7HySBATAMgVmW5YAqydx2j4Houg-YVdnFLwnjXE1cumHxkjY3VmMSSKC5dEiCoGZzEFz1LCk9biV0GfPbetcdLr0F_0Qq_yz8bmXFcna8Ww/s280/hawthorn-blossom-web.jpg)
The seeds of Cow Parsley are already forming. These look like beetles complete with antennae. When they eventually turn black, the resemblance is even more convincing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjn8ZqxtRLS0wOw-6ICIIDCgvaHGmjxuZnHFOEW85ojxbafY9N4_xal911Zo-MsamEYhPobRRDXB3RhOIYgR0fbBcFGRLzdWUkVCWJa7IT6vY_dNJn2W95uf8pxDUbu7x01nfSgsmTg/s400/lace-beetles.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjn8ZqxtRLS0wOw-6ICIIDCgvaHGmjxuZnHFOEW85ojxbafY9N4_xal911Zo-MsamEYhPobRRDXB3RhOIYgR0fbBcFGRLzdWUkVCWJa7IT6vY_dNJn2W95uf8pxDUbu7x01nfSgsmTg/s400/lace-beetles.jpg)
The next major flower to appear on the hedgerow is Meadow Vetchling, or Meadow Pea. The emerging shoots are very distinctive with their flattened appearance:
A couple of days ago I showed some Lady's Smock - Cardamine pratensis - with four Orange Tip eggs. This is the same plant with a roosting male. The attraction of the plant to the butterfly is extremely strong: most of the roosting specimens I find are on Cardamine.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDna9I_D6ApTDrOQhEDfSsfKVZutKHjIn8M9vCyx0TmotJ4FwjV32VKxRMWWDB4VmYBqfHrm6_ufkowWWev5aC6x1WXzkiIrCdGCRutnkvcsER-6sUEycsk9k4jlAh57wzWWoxEYL-A/s280/ot-roosting.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibspx11BqRl_IyIAoyrrPAehAXL4LJDdwg1nWd_V6Nw9WcSO37w-CFRNMdwgLlQCMu-XgHKJBmHU-JPVLUBK55lOEUFQEsMdodUyc_CQ9evtZifKWW7_n_QEIXwfTC1ksoSzVdLpW2rw/s280/meadow-vetchling-web.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDna9I_D6ApTDrOQhEDfSsfKVZutKHjIn8M9vCyx0TmotJ4FwjV32VKxRMWWDB4VmYBqfHrm6_ufkowWWev5aC6x1WXzkiIrCdGCRutnkvcsER-6sUEycsk9k4jlAh57wzWWoxEYL-A/s280/ot-roosting.jpg)
Great post again, Stuart. I spotted a pair of Large Red's on Beara this week, and Common Blue's in Bantry.
ReplyDeleteI heard the name Quick Thorn also, this week; do you know if it would refer to Black or Haw thorn?
The person who used it didn't know.
'Quicks' is the local name for Hawthorn cuttings ready for transplanting. I have also heard it referred to locally as Half-thorn.
ReplyDeleteQuickthorn defintely refers to hawthorn round here (of course the name 'hawthorn' itself means 'hedge-thorn') - aka Whitethorn. It seems to be a very good year for hte blossom, even if it is in June not May!
ReplyDeleteLovely damselflies.