Beautiful Demoiselle.

 It was a pleasure yesterday to walk along the stream at the western end of the village where the section between West End house and the old water mill site is showing a number of species that have been lost in recent years in the village itself through the mistaken 'Speed the Flow' policy, which has led to very little growing except the very poisoness Hemlock Water Dropwort. In addition to a small amount of that there was the blue/pink of Comfrey, the bright blue of Brooklime, which is making a good comeback in the stream. A few rather small spikes of Purple Loosestrife, which only used to appear in small numbers further down in the village, also appeared.

Most exciting was the appearance of a single Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly.

Beautiful Damoiselle. Photo. John Elliott. Click to enlarge.

This seems to be working its way up the valley. First seen down the Weymouth Road and now regularly in my front garden, this single specimen was the furthest upstream I have found.

Also seen yesterday were three Small Tortoiseshell butterflies on the Buddlia by the Village Hall. There have only seven reported so far in the whole of Dorset, so a significant increase in the county total.