Downy Emerald

I spent a pleasant day mooching around Cheshire with BITH* in search of the Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea). In the forestry close to Shemmy Moss we were successful in photographing several individuals including this female whose body is heavily dusted with pollen. Never a common species, it has a scattered distribution from the southern counties right up to Scotland. In Cheshire the Downy Emerald is usually only found around this area near Sandiway.