Dragonflies of the Red River Valley LNR
An opportunity to see the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies, Small Red Damselflies and 16 other species that have made the Red River Valley Local Nature Reserve at Great Wheal Seton, Rosewarne Mill and Bell Lake Marsh their home.
An opportunity to see the newly discovered Southern Emerald Damselflies in Cornwall and to help explore & establish their range across the dune complex in this restricted access area. Moving on to other sites afterwards. Numbers limited to 20, booking essential.
Image: Female Lestes barbarus by Antonio A Goncalves
Joint meeting with Cleveland Field Naturalists. Due to popularity a return visit to explore this private rewilding project. To date 18 species have been recorded.
Leader – Keith Gittens
Image: Migrant Hawker by Dave Smallshire
Joint meeting with Freshwater Habitats Trust to explore the numerous ponds of the Military Training Area. An FHT Flagship Ponds site, to date 19 species of Odonata have been recorded. Distance 3 – 4 miles. Leaders – Keith Gittens, Anne Carter.
Image: Common Darter by Dave Smallshire
An opportunity to visit the Forestry Commission’s Beaver Project where dragonfly recording has occurred over the last five years. While the chance of seeing a Beaver is slim, you will be able to see the incredible work they have done along with the Odonata that inhabit the pools. To date 17 species have been recorded including Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
In the afternoon there should be the opportunity to go to Tranmire Bog for Keeled Skimmer.
Image: Keeled Skimmer by Dave Smallshire
Join the Scotland team on Saturday 5th April 2025 for our 2025 Scotland Conference in the Soutar Theatre at the AK Bell Library, Perth. There will be talks, workshops and a chance to connect with like-minded dragonfly enthusiasts.
Refreshments will be provided but not lunch. Please book your place using the form below.
| Name | Talk |
| Lorna Slater MSP | Nature Champion for the Northern Damselfly: ‘On holiday with the Damselflies’. |
| Stephen Corcoran | Corrour peatland restoration and Northern Damselfly project |
| Pat Batty | Corrour survey results |
| Scott Shanks | Dragonflies on the Bog |
| Jen Davidson | Conservation work |
| Genevieve Tomkins | Cairngorms to Coast: the hunt for a rare dragon and damsel |
| Emma Stevens-Veitch | Playing hide & seek with Northern Emerald larvae |
| David Penman | Carse of Stirling Dragonflies |
| Workshops | Exuvia & larva ID |
Book your place using the form below:
Aims: to see a range of summer dragonflies and damselflies with the possibility of Brilliant Emerald, and Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly which was recorded on the site last summer.
We are determined to see more dragonflies this year and will especially be looking for Black Darter, after our visit in disappointing weather in 2024.
The site is managed for local nature and worldwide conservation by Marwell Wildlife.
We will be guided by Tony Mundell, formerly of RAE and the original proposer of Site of Special Scientific Interest status for Eelmoor Marsh.
A joint meeting of BDS Hants, Surrey, Berkshire Group with Butterfly Conservation, Surrey branch, led by Francis Kelly, an expert in both.
Wildwood is an abandoned golf course with numerous “water features”. 24 species of Odonata have been recorded across 18+ ponds. Also look out for the very rare Brown Hairstreak butterfly.
A SSSI site managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust with many species including White-legged Damselfly.