Norwich Western Link road planning decision sparks outrage amongst environmental groups
Following the announcement that Norfolk County Council has given the green light for a planning application to be submitted for the Norwich Western Link road, the BDS and other environmental organisations continue to raise grave concerns about the damage the road would do to wildlife and the landscape. Environmental experts and community groups warn that…
Read the White-legged Damselfly Investigation final report
The final report on the White-legged Damselfly Investigation citizen science project is now available to download here. From 2018 to 2022 over 700 volunteers assisted the BDS in mapping the distribution of the White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) across England and Wales with the aim of assessing changes in the species’ occupancy (geographic area within which…
BDS supports call for ban of the use of harmful pesticides in pet medicines
The BDS has written to Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in support of the recent call to ban of the use of harmful pesticides in pet medicine.
BDS Photo Calendar 2024 – get yours now!
We asked you to help us celebrate our 40th birthday with a Dragonfly photo competition. Our winner is Steve Hewitt’s White-legged Damselfly as chosen by Mike Dilger, a further top 11 photos were chosen by the BDS team which accompany the winner in our 2024 calendar. This wall calendar is A4 (opens to A3). Each…
Collect our new pin badges
The BDS shop now offers four bright and beautiful pin badges for sale at £2.50 each: Emperor, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, and Banded Demoiselle. They’ll make a great Christmas stocking filler – take a look.
State of Nature 2023 Report – UK nature-depleted
The State of Nature 2023 report, the most comprehensive report on the UK’s current biodiversity, has been released and is available to read in full here. The report uses data collated over the past 50 years by thousands of volunteers taking part in recording schemes, such as the National Recording Scheme for Odonata. In summary,…
Dragonfly Conservation Group – Statisticians Needed
The BDS Dragonfly Conservation Group is looking for volunteers with experience in statistical ecology to assist them in exploring and analysing the BDS datasets; for example, identifying relationships between species occurrence and environmental/geographical variables. The DCG is a volunteer group of dragonfly experts that works to forward research into British Odonata, in particular species of…
RESTORE NATURE NOW – Rally 28/9/23
The peaceful Restore Nature Now demonstration will be taking place in London, Bristol, Newcastle, Reading and York on 28/9/23. Like many other conservation organisations, the BDS has become increasingly concerned about the dilution of environmental legislation in the UK and the slowdown of progress toward achieving Net Zero. The Restore Nature Now rallies provide an opportunity for…
Register as a volunteer
We are calling for all new and existing volunteers to register via this quick online form: click here. Registering as a volunteer will help us contact you regarding important updates and new opportunities. It will also allow the BDS to track your activities and celebrate your achievements. Image by Daniele Muir
What to look out for in Early August
Most of our damselfly species will be past their peak in terms of numbers, although the majority will still be found, albeit in smaller numbers. However, August is when two of our damselfly species will be reaching their peak. The first is Small Red-eyed Damselfly, which first occurred in Britain in 1999 and is now…