Forge Valley Woods NNR

The start of the day didn't promise, dull and cooler than the rest of the week. We travelled to North Yorkshire to Forge Valley National Nature Reserve, my first visit to the site, mainly in search of the Beautiful Demoiselle, one of the scarcest species of dragonflies in Yorkshire. We parked on Old Man's Mouth car park. The river Derwent runs through this narrow, steep sided wooded valley, it's waters transparent and bottom sandy or pebbly. The sides are muddy and many creeks cross it so a boardwalk has been fitted by the river side, where we walked downstream. As the day progressed it got hotter, more humid and the sunny spells became longer. Insects started to make a more prominent appearance.

Brown Trout, one of many seen along the river.

Robert spotted the only Beautiful Demoiselle of the trip (sp number 20 of my Dragonflies of Yorkshire challenge), a female which fluttered briefly on the bank and then sat for a long while on a bramble leaf, briefly grooming the tip of her abdomen. Although on a bit awkward angle for photos, I managed some clear shots.

Spot the demoiselle. If it hadn't fluttered we would have easily walked by it!

The female beautiful demoiselle, with browner wings and a bronze abdomen tip, features that distinguish it from the Banded Demoiselle.

Part of the river Derwent.

Platycheirus rosarum hoverfly.

Iris Sawfly caterpillar, Rhadinoceraea micans.

Butterflies

Green-veined Butterfly.

Red Admiral.

Comma.

In our return the car park we had some good inverts, a highlight was a Banded General, a first for me, and a Black and Yellow Long-horned beetle.

Rutpela maculata.

Volucella pellucens hoverfly.

Banded General, a spectacular soldierfly.

Brachypalpoides lentus Hoverfly.

Toadlet. One of dozens climbing the riverbank at Hackness.

More information
Forge Valley Woods NNR.
Yorkshire branch of the British Dragonfly Society Forge Valley woods website.