Dragon Flies

West Ender · 23-08-2007, 15:31

I don't know if Accrington is the same but, here, we seem to have loads of dragon flies around just now. Cheshire has a lot of water and trees, it's true, but the nearest water to me is next door's small fish pond yet they seem to be everywhere. Yesterday I was sitting in my garden and there were 3 flying around, one settled on my shoe for quite a while. Today I've seen several of different sizes and there's a dead one, at least 4" long, on my patio. The Bridgewater Canal, a mile from here, is teeming with them.

Has the recent weather been ideal for them - i.e. rain, rain and more rain? I've never known so many around at once.

Less · 23-08-2007, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by West Ender

one settled on my shoe for quite a while. Today I've seen several of different sizes and there's a dead one, at least 4" long, on my patio. The Bridgewater Canal, a mile from here, is teeming with them.

Perhaps wearing shoes of different sizes is attracting them? Find a pair that doesn't seem to attract them and wear those until these things go away, also who would be cruel enough to kill a shoe? even if it is only 4" long? Perhaps if your local canal is teeming with shoes this is a place your 'litter police' should concentrate on to prevent people abandoning their footwear?

West Ender · 23-08-2007, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Perhaps wearing shoes of different sizes is attracting them? Find a pair that doesn't seem to attract them and wear those until these things go away, also who would be cruel enough to kill a shoe? even if it is only 4" long? Perhaps if your local canal is teeming with shoes this is a place your 'litter police' should concentrate on to prevent people abandoning their footwear?

kathleen_firth · 23-08-2007, 16:36

i always have the same problems

SPUGGIE J · 23-08-2007, 16:37

OOOOOOOO all that trout food.

We have plenty as the Grange Burn runs past my front window and see all the colours.

garinda · 23-08-2007, 16:51

There does seem to be more than in recent years. I too live near water and trees, and have seen lots more of these beautiful creatures this year than usual.

It may have something to do with our very mild winter, as well as a wet and damp summer.

I think it's been a bumper year for all insects, including pesky flies, so sadly there are some draw backs.

MargaretR · 23-08-2007, 16:55

There are more mozzies too, but according to tv news they have been tested and dont carry malaria (UK ones that is)

garinda · 23-08-2007, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by [email protected]

dont carry malaria (UK ones that is)

....give it time.

It'll be a race to see if we get rabies or malaria carrying mosies first.

mickmc · 23-08-2007, 17:35

Funnily enough one of these big brutes landed an a wall next to me at work last week and I got a picture of it with the old camera phone see below

you can tell the size of it compared to the width of a standard brick 4"

Checked on the internet at the weekend and found out it was called a Southern Harker