They require areas of open vegetation, mixed with slow flowing water in which to lay their eggs.
The larvae spend 2 years underwater before emerging as damselflies.
Status in the United Kingdom
It is thought that 25% of the world population exists within the United Kingdom but it has declined by 30% since 1960 due to changes in grazing, land drainage and water abstraction.
Places where they are found include the New Forest, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire, where work was being carried out in 2015 to improve habitat,[4] work that was reported in 2020 as successful.[5] In 2009, 500 adults were captured and released in the Venn Ottery nature reserve in Devon. This nature reserve is owned and managed by the Devon Wildlife Trust and grazing has been re-introduced there to help encourage this species which had not been recorded there since 1988.[6]
Aeshna isoceles is a small hawker dragonfly that is found in Europe, mostly around the Mediterranean, and the lowlands of North Africa. Its common name in English is green-eyed hawker. In Britain it is a rare and local species and is known as the Norfolk hawker. It has a brown colour with green eyes and clear wings and also a yellow triangular mark on the second abdominal segment which gave rise to its scientific name. It used to be in the genus Anaciaeschna as it has several differences from the other members of the genus Aeshna. Its specific name is often spelt isosceles.
The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in Southern England, covering southwest Hampshire and southeast Wiltshire. It was proclaimed a royal forest by William the Conqueror, featuring in the Domesday Book.
The Preseli Mountains, also known as the Preseli Hills, or just the Preselis, is a range of hills in western Wales, mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and entirely within the county of Pembrokeshire.
The Cotswold Water Park is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system, straddling the Wiltshire–Gloucestershire border, north-west of Cricklade and south of Cirencester. There are 180 lakes, spread over 42 square miles (110 km2).
The variable damselfly or variable bluet is a European damselfly. Despite its name, it is not the only blue damselfly prone to variable patterning.
The Irish damselfly or crescent bluet is a damselfly found in northern Europe and Asia to north-eastern China;. It is common and widespread in northern Finland, scarce and local in the Netherlands and Ireland and rare elsewhere. The Irish damselfly name comes from the fact that it is found in Ireland but not in Great Britain. The alternative name, crescent bluet, refers to the shape of the markings on segment two of the male and its scientific name.
The orange-spotted emerald is a dragonfly in the family Corduliidae. It is the only species in its genus.
The dainty damselfly, also known as the dainty bluet, is a blue damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. This is a scarce species found mainly in southern Europe, northern Africa, southwest Asia, and Central America. C. scitulum are Odonata predators that can reach a length of 30–33 mm at maturity and have hind-wing lengths of 15–20 mm. The males and females do exhibit differing features through their colouration making them easily distinguishable. As shown in the photo to the left, segment eight is blue in colour followed by black markings on segment nine, whereas the females are mostly black near the rear with smaller blue markings. Although they are relatively simple to sex, they are easily confused with the common blue damselfly.
The Norfolk damselfly or dark bluet is a species of blue damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae native to Eurasia.
The River Glaven in the eastern English county of Norfolk is 10.5 mi (16.9 km) long and flows through picturesque North Norfolk countryside to the North Sea. Rising from a tiny headwater in Bodham the river starts 2+1⁄2 miles before Selbrigg Pond where three small streams combine. The scenic value of the Glaven valley is important to the tourist industry in North Norfolk. The river is one of over 200 chalk rivers in the world and one of 160 in the UK.
Somatochlora, or the striped emeralds, is a genus of dragonflies in the family Corduliidae with 42 described species found across the Northern Hemisphere.
Coenagrion is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly called the Eurasian Bluets. Species of Coenagrion are generally medium-sized, brightly coloured damselflies.
Paragomphus cognatus, the rock hooktail, is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae.
Coenagrion hastulatum, the northern damselfly or spearhead bluet, is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
Winnall Moors is a 64-hectare (160-acre) nature reserve in Winchester in Hampshire. It is managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
Decoy Pit, Pools and Woods is a 17.7-hectare (44-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Aldermaston in Berkshire. An area of 8 hectares is a nature reserve called Decoy Heath, which is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
Carn Ingli is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was designated a SSSI in January 1954 in an attempt to protect its fragile biological elements. The site has an area of 428.4 hectares and is managed by Natural Resources Wales.
Waun Fawr, Puncheston is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since March 1995 in an attempt to protect its fragile biological elements. The site has an area of 8.26 hectares.
Coenagrion ornatum, or, the ornate bluet, is a species of damselfly from the family Coenagrionidae distributed across a large part of Europe and Western Asia.
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