Butterflies in Lloyd Park

Have you spotted any of these butterflies in or around Lloyd Park? 

Speckled Wood - The Caterpillars feed on grasses and can survive the winter here. The butterflies appear from April to September. They can have several generations through the summer. In Lloyd Park they are often seen on sunny days in the trees behind the wetland area.

Red Admiral - They migrate northward in spring and early summer from North Africa and continental Europe with a few overwinter here as butterflies sheltering in buildings. New butterflies emerge from about July onwards and continue flying into October or November. Their caterpillars feed on nettles. 

Small Tortoiseshell - Small tortoiseshell butterflies survive over winter here and can be seen at any time of year if the weather is warm. They are especially common from March to September and often have two broods. The caterpillars are small and black and feed on nettles. 

Common Blue - These butterflies are seen from May to early August and their caterpillars feed on a small grassland plant called Birds Foot Trefoil. The males wings are blue above and browner with black and white spots below. Females are brown. Look for butterflies in the flower beds and the uncut, wild flower areas on the mounds.

Dragonflies and Damselflies in Lloyd Park

Have you spotted any of these dragonflies or damsenlfiles darting around the Lloyd Park moat? 

Identification 

Dragonflies are usually larger than damselflies. They are creatures of the sun. They can be seen in Lloyd Park on any warm day between April and October but most commonly at the height of Summer. The presence of dragonflies and damselflies is a valuable indicator of good water quality.

Emperor Dragonfly - The Emperor Dragonfly is Britain’s largest dragonfly and has been seen hovering over the moat and gardens in Lloyd Park. The males have a bright blue abdomen and the females are mainly green. They are a spectacular sight on a sunny day. 

Broad Bodied Chaser - The Broad Bodied Chaser is one of the commonest dragonflies to be found around the moat in Lloyd Park. It has a distinctive broad flattened body. The male has a powder blue body with yellow spots along the side and a dark thorax. The female is greeny brown. 

Large Red Damselfly - The Large Red Damselfly is one of only two red damselfly species in the UK. The male has an all red abdomen. The amount of red and black on the female’s abdomen varies with some forms appearing almost black. 

Azure Damselfly - The Azure Damselfly is one of the most commonly seen blue damselflies. They are electric blue with some black along the body, but definite identification requires a good look at the shape of the black mark just below where the wings join the body. The black mark is U shaped.