A break from TMS

Four spotted chaser

Broad bodied chaser

Emerald damselfly

Scarce blue tailed damselfly

In the barren industrial wastelands of Gwent where the flat capped woodbine smoking unemployed still queue at the labour exchange and where nature conservationists fear to tread, giant hogweed is almost unknown. I was somewhat surprised to find this fine specimen from within the boundaries of a Welsh Water covered reservoir at Varteg. Given this organisations recent indifferent record in successfully managing land for biodiversity - for recent example see the cutting down of species rich grassland at a covered reservoir on the Blorenge - its a safe bet that this individual has been inadvertently introduced by those responsible for grounds maintenance at the Varteg site.

Elsewhere a break from Test Match Special saw me walking around the reedbed area of Garn Lakes LNR looking for odonata. Present were many broad bodied chasers, several four spotted chasers and damselflies of the emerald, common blue, large red and scarce blue tailed varieties. Other note worthies included small skipper, ringlet and marbled white butterflies along with a single snipe several reed bunting and a flyover cormorant.