Damsel in distress emerges after re-introduction

Volunteers at Devon Wildlife Trust have been the first to witness the return of the southern damselfly at Venn Ottery Nature Reserve following the successful re-introduction of 500 adults in 2009.


The larvae of this very rare insect usually take two years to mature and a great deal of work has been carried out in that time to provide the damselfly with every chance to establish a strong population on the charity’s East Devon reserve.

Staff, contractors and volunteers have been hard at work over the winter removing scrub, swaling (controlled burning), conducting dam maintenance and adding fencing to make sure the site is in good condition for the next generation of damselflies.

Despite the lack of rain in recent months those efforts look to be paying off as the reserve is in good condition with good levels of water on the key runnels which the insects prefer as their habitat.

DWT’s Ian Chadwick who looks after the site for DWT and coordinated the work to re-introduce the insects said: “It’s great to know that two years after successfully bringing these amazing little creatures back to this site their young have survived in this stretch of watercourse for long enough to successfully emerge and produce another generation! We would like to thank all the volunteers for their painstaking work to create exactly the right conditions for the southern damselflies to thrive.”

“As part of our East Devon Heath Week at the end of July, you can book onto a guided walk around the Venn Ottery Reserve with the warden and get close to all types of heathland wildlife. Hopefully you’ll see the southern damselflies too!” added Kimmo Evans, East Devon AONB. “The Venn Ottery walk is on Monday 25 July, 2 to 4 pm and you can book your place on 01392 432691”.

The work was generously supported by RockETs and East Devon AONB Sustainable Development Fund.
 
http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/view-news/2011/07/07/Damsel%2Bin%2Bdistress%2Bemerges%2Bafter%2Bre-introduction/