Lime green in colour with imposing black and green patterns along its abdomen,  the Southern Hawker is one of the largest and fastest flying dragonflies. Capable of hovering and flying backwards they are a fearsome predator, often catching their prey mid flight.  Quite fearless, they will often fly close to humans, appearing to ‘eyeball’ them before darting off along their favoured water course.

A species of dragonfly, the male darter is bright red with red wings. The female is ochre yellow in colour with yellow veined wings.

Commonly found in southern Europe, since the early 1990s it has been increasingly found in Britain and other northern latitudes. The red darter is found in a range of habitats including marshes, lakes, ponds and rivers.

Larger than the male of the species the female is far less colourful but with beautiful markings along the abdomen. Male damselflies will fiercely defend their females when they lay their eggs, from both predators and other damselflies.

Many of these slender damselflies are beautifully coloured in shades of iridescent light blue and with dark markings. They can be found on most quiet rivers and streams, in woodlands and gardens.

For more information : www.wildlifetrusts.org.uk  : www.rspb.org.uk

Other names : Dancers

This family includes some of the largest and most powerful dragonflies.  These robust insects are usually dark green, blue or brown with stripes on the thorax with spots or bands on the abdomen. Dragonflies usually live near still waters, with plenty of aquatic vegetation.

Did you know?

Damselflies differ from dragonflies broadly by the shape and size of their wings. Damselflies have wings which are both the same size and which taper where they meet the body. Dragonflies have different shaped fore and hind wings.  The hind wings are much broader and don’t taper so much where they meet the body.