Above. One of the Willow Emerald Damselflies which were first seen at Strumpshaw Fen in 2010 and now a regular at the site, and spread to other other sites in the Yare valley.
The Swallowtail is a Broadlands specialist and can easily be seen in the Yare valley at Strumpshaw Fen and Wheatfen.
DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES we have seen in the Yare Valley.
- Banded Demoiselle
- Large Red Damselfly
- Azure Damselfly
- Variable Damselfly
- Common Blue Damselfly
- Blue-tailed Damselfly
- Red-eyed Damselfly
- Small Red-eyed Damselfly
- Common Emerald
- Willow Emerald Damselfly.
- Hairy Dragonfly
- Migrant Hawker
- Southern Hawker
- Brown Hawker
- Norfolk Hawker
- Migrant Hawker.
- Emperor Dragonfly
- Lesser Emperor, first recorded at Whitlingham CP, 2017.
- Four-spotted Chaser
- Scarce Chaser
- Broad-bodied Chaser
- Black-tailed Skimmer
- Common Darter
- Ruddy Darter
- Black Darter
- Red-veined Darter, Earlham 2017,
- Yellow-winged Darter
- Vagrant Darter
BUTTERFLIES we have seen in the Yare Valley.
- Swallowtail, Stronghold at Strumpshaw Fen, occasional elsewhere.
- Large White
- Small White
- Green-veined White
- Orange Tip
- Clouded Yellow, Regular migrant in varying numbers.
- Brimstone
- Purple Hairstreak
- White-letter Hairstreak, 1 at Burgh Castle, July 2015. Now regular at Strumpshaw Fen.
- Small Copper
- Holly Blue
- Brown Argus
- Common Blue
- Long-tailed Blue, Rare migrant/release, 1 at Freethorpe July 2022.
- Peacock
- Camberwell Beauty, Rare migrant. Records from Hopton and Gt Yarmouth cemetery. 1 at Little Melton 2022.
- Red Admiral
- White Admiral
- Painted Lady
- Purple Emperor, recorded at Haddiscoe in 2022.1 deceased in Norwich 2022.
- Comma
- Small Tortoiseshell
- Grayling
- Meadow Brown
- Gatekeeper
- Ringlet
- Small Heath
- Speckled Wood
- Wall
- Small Skipper
- Large Skipper
- Essex Skipper
- Scarce Tortoiseshell. Very rare migrant. 2 in our area in 2014.
- Large Toryoiseshell. Very rare migrant, 2 records in 2020.
- Silver-washed Fritillary, Recorded at Strumpshaw in 2014 onwards.
HOVERFLIES we have seen in the Yare Valley.
- Episyrphus balteatus
- Gonia divisa
- Helophilus pendulus
- Helophilus trivittatus
- Leucozona glaucia
- Leucozona lucorum
- Melanostoma scalare
- Rhingia campestris
- Scaeva pyrastri
- Syrphus ribesh
- Volucella zonaria.
Below and below right,. July 2014 saw a large influx of Scarce Tortoiseshell into Holland and a few ventured into Norfolk and SE England. At least 2 in the Yare Valley were located. The one below near Norwich (photographed by Ben Lewis) and one at Burgh Castle (below right(2), photographed & copyrighted by Perry Fairmam Ecological Experiences)
Ant-lion, Euroleon nostras, caught in a moth trap bt Ian Mills on Gt Yarmouth north denes in July 2010. What we believe to be the first adult recorded in Norfolk. Photo courtesy of Ian Mills.