Category: Species

Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator

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Length

78mm Wings, 106mm.

Males

Thorax bright green; abdomen blue with black central line; legs black; eyes green; wings clear with yellow costa.

Male Emperor Dragonfly at Farnham Lakes on 11/07/2009. - © Stuart Roebuck.

Females

Generally greenish with thicker black central abdominal line.

02072011-empdra-tophilllow-paulashton

Habitat

Ponds, lakes, gravel pits, dykes, canals and slow-flowing rivers with rich marginal vegetation, also tolerant of brackish conditions. Seldom found far away from water.

Behavior

Males are territorial, rarely more than one male is present at small locations. Constantly patrols its territory, which it defends vigorously. Will take prey as large as Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata. Copulation takes place away from water and lasts around ten minutes. The female then oviposits alone into submerged vegetation. Larvae emerge after two years on to tall emergent vegetation. Emergence is usually synchronous at site level.

Flight Period
Distribution Map

Locations

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Hairy Dragonfly Brachytron pratense

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Male

The only ‘Hawker’ species flying during May and much of June, with a slight overlap with Southern Hawker at the end of June. Thorax and abdomen distinctly hairy. Side of the thorax predominantly green, lacking the paired thoracic stripes of other ‘hawker’ species, with tapering green antehumeral stripes on the top. Abdomen has small blue paired spots.

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Female

Thorax and abdomen distinctly hairy. Side of the thorax predominantly green, lacking the paired thoracic stripes of other ‘hawker’ species, with restricted, or absent, antehumeral stripes on the top. Abdomen has small yellow paired spots.

Female Hairy Dragonfly at Broomfleet on 12/05/2011 - © Paul Ashton.

Habitat

Ponds, lakes, canals, ditches, dykes and marshy fens with tall emergent vegetation, such as rushes, reeds and sedges. Requires abundant floating vegetation for oviposition.

Behaviour

Early flight period is characteristic. Quickly settles when the sun goes in, compared to other Aeshnidae species, making it less easy to find in dull conditions. Males are territorial and patrol in and out of vegetation at low level. Can be found away from water in sheltered areas, though males will generally not wander far. Females only come to water to find a mate and oviposit. Copulation is long, taking place in nearby trees and shrubs, or long vegetation along the banks. The female oviposits into decomposing floating vegetation.

Flight Period
Status

Mainly VC61 and VC63, currently expanding its range.

Distribution Map

Locations

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Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii

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Male

Length 74mm, wings 100mm.

Predominantley black species, with yellow thoracic stripes and antehumeral stripes on the thorax, with yellow rings around the abdomen, slightly swollen towards the tip. Green eyes. Female Southern Hawkers sometimes confused with this species.

Male Golden-ringed Dragonfly at Fen Bog on 04/07/2009. - © Maurice Gordon.

Female

Length 84mm, wings 100mm.

Predominantley black species, with yellow thoracic stripes and antehumeral stripes on the thorax, with yellow rings around the parallel sided abdomen, ovipositor extending beyond segment 10. Green eyes. Female Southern Hawkers sometimes confused with this species.

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Both

Black with yellow markings, as rings on abdomen; eyes greenish; legs black; female has sharp ovipositor; wings clear with leading edges (costa) yellow.

Habitat

Streams and rivers with silt, gravel or stone base in upland areas or lowland heath.

Behavior

Eggs laid in bed of stream, etc. Larvae 2-5 years.

Flight Period
Distribution Map

Locations

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Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata

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Length

43mm, Wings 76mm

Males

Four-spotted Chaser at Tophill Low - 02/07/2011
Thorax brown, no antehumeral stripes; abdomen brown, last 4 segments darker than the rest, yellow spots on sides; wings dark patches at nodes on leading edges and at bases of rear wings.

Females

Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata
Similar to males, main difference is the shape of the anal appendages.

Habitat

Prefers sites of still water consisting of lakes, ponds, bog pools, canals and dykes. Will tolerate brackish conditions. The largest concentrations are associated with acidic ponds and pools.

Behavior

Males are territorial, their noisy clashes are obvious where densities are high. Readily returns to the same perch on emergent vegetation, after sparring with other males, or after short patrols along the waters edge. Copulation is short taking place in flight, only lasting for 5-20 seconds. Female oviposits by flicking the abdomen tip downwards into the water. The eggs then sink and adhere to submerged vegetation. Males may stay close by to guard females during oviposition. Larvae live among the bottom debris, then emerge after two to four years. Emergence takes place amongst marginal vegetation during daylight hours.

Flight Period
Distribution Map

Locations

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Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa

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Length

44mm, Wings 76mm

Males

Broad-bodied Chaser - Libellula depressa
Thorax brown, pale, broad antehumeral stripes; brown patches at base of wings; broad abdomen blue with yellow spots at sides, legs brown, eyes brown.

Females

Broad-bodied Chaser
Thorax brown, pale, broad antehumeral stripes; abdomen yellowish brown with yellow spots along sides; wings brown base areas.

Immatures

Both sexes yellowish.

Habitat

Small lakes, ponds, garden ponds, ditches and canals with well-vegetated margins and sheltered sunny locations. Will use bog pools if they are not too acidic. Often, one of the first species to colonise new water bodies.

Behavior

Males are aggressively territorial, there seldom being more than one male at any small pond. They perch on stems of tall emergent vegetation, or on the ground, chasing off any intruding males that appear within their territory. Copulation takes place in flight, lasting for only a few seconds. The female oviposits by flicking the tip of her abdomen into the water rapidly, occasionally with the male guarding her nearby. Larvae live amongst the bottom debris, emerging after two to three years. Emergence at sites is usually synchronous on marginal and emergent vegetation.

Status

Widespread though scarce in VC65 Noert-east Yorkshire.

Flight Period
Distribution Map

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Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum

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Length

50mm, Wings 78mm

Males

Black-tailed Skimmer - Orthetrum cancellatum
Thorax black, no antehumeral stripes; Abdomen top is blue with yellow spots towards sides, black tip; legs black.

Females

Black-tailed Skimmer - Orthetrum cancellatum
All yellow with 2 black bands on upper surface abdomen.

Habitat

Prefers lakes, ponds, gravel workings, slow rivers or marshes, with exposed mud, stones or bare patches where the male can perch.

Behavior

Highly territorial, males perch on bare areas of ground, typically on slightly raised areas such as stones, logs or bare soil, on the lookout for females and rival males. When patrolling over water they fly low, skimming over the surface. Copulation can take place in flight, where it will only last for a few seconds, though sometimes this can take place in vegetation where it may last up to 15 minutes. Oviposition occurs by dipping the abdomen into water, with the male often remaining nearby. Larvae live amongst the bottom silts, emerging after two to three years. Emergence usually takes place on vegetation, often several metres away from water.

Flight Period

Distribution Map

Locations

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