Langford has had an Odonata overload in the last couple of weeks, with many new species for the year bursting onto the scene in really good numbers! I reported our delight at rediscovering hairy dragonfly on site, after an absence last year. This species is rather uncommon, but has been expanding northwards over the last few years and was discovered at Langford in 2014. Several individuals have been seen on site this year, including a pair in cop - confirming breeding. Rather conveniently, they are the smallest of the hawkers and the earliest flying - emerging as early as late April in some years, making them easily distinguishable from other hawker species.
And on the subject of other hawker species, we now have emperor dragonfly and brown hawker on the wing. Emperor dragonflies are our largest species - up to about 80mm, they fly with their abdomens characteristically dipped, making them easy to identify even from a distance. Brown hawkers are also large and are the only species of UK dragonfly that have brown coloured wings. Also on the wing at the moment is black-tailed skimmer - the males being a pale, powdery blue colour with a black tip to the abdomen, but the females are a striking yellow and brown. Four-spot chasers have had a good year too, although are mostly over now. They are very aptly named, having two black coloured patches on each forewing.
And of course there are plenty of the dragonflies smaller cousins around too, the damselflies. Hundreds of common blue and azure damselflies can be seen at this time of year over water and hunting insects over the grasslands, making quite a spectacle on warm and sunny days. One species in particular to look out for is red-eyed damselfly - as their name suggests, they do indeed have red eyes, with the males being a stunning blue colouration. They often sit out on leaves defending their territory from other damselflies.
Common blue damselfly. Jodie Randall (rspb-images.com)