Damselflies of the UK Part 2
Dave Smallshire will explore the Blue and Blue-tailed species of Damselfly that can often be tricky to tell apart. He’ll discuss how these 10 species can be distinguished from one another and delve into interesting aspects of their ecology and behaviour. He’ll also look at their geographic distributions and consider their rarity and conservation status.
The UK is home to 20 species of Damselfly (Zygoptera) that breed in the UK. Alongside Dragonflies, the Damselflies make up the order Odonata. These predatory insects are known for their fascinating life cycles, dazzling colours and impressive flight abilities.
Over 2 webinars, Dave Smallshire (author of Britain’s Dragonflies) will explore the damselfly species that call the UK home. Part 1 will take place on 02 October 24 and focus on the Demoiselle, Emerald, Red and Red-eyed species of Damselflies. Part 2 will take place on 30 October 2024 and will focus on Blue Damselflies (including Blue-tailed Damselflies).
Learn more and book your place
A bonus meeting to make up for disruption to our schedule caused by poor weather.
This beginner course is designed to be a gentle introduction to freshwater invertebrate identification for those who have limited or no experience. We will use hand lenses, microscopes and identification keys to look at what makes a mayfly a mayfly, and how to tell apart the larvae of beetles and flies. Our expert tutor will guide you through a combination of classroom and field sessions to build up your knowledge, skills and confidence.
Full course details.
Small group field trip to look for and survey Scarce Blue-Tailed Damselflies.
Come and say hello to the BDS team at this year’s Spurn Migration Festival!
Spurn Bird Observatory Trust (SBOT) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) are proud to
announce the 11th Spurn Migration Festival, to be held at Spurn Bird Observatory on the East
Yorkshire coast from 6th to 8th September 2024.
The brainchild of two Spurn stalwarts, Martin Garner and Andy Roadhouse, the festival has become
one of the most popular events on the birding calendar. With something for everyone, it features
everything from guided walks to headline talks by guest speakers. Exhibitors’ stalls will offer optics,
books, artwork, holidays, and wildbird food amongst other things, whilst the famous Spurn Ladies will
provide delicious, very reasonably priced food throughout.
Once again, this year’s festival, held jointly by SBOT and the BTO, will include a competition to find the
Martin Garner Spurn Young Birder of the year – the competition named in Martin’s honour. Open to
all young birders up to the age of 16, the winner of the Senior category (14 to16 year olds) will receive
a brand new pair of Swarovski binoculars, while the winner of the Junior under14’s category will
receive a brand new pair of Opticron binoculars generously donated by Swarovski Optik and Opticron
respectively.
The weekend will feature a variety of walks focusing on bird migration and identification, bats, and
plants. Seawatching and ‘vis-migging’ (witnessing visual migration) will no doubt be the highlight for
many. There will be bird ringing demonstrations, photography workshops, and art classes run by
renowned artist Darren Woodhead. This year’s Andy Roadhouse Memorial Lecture will be given by
guest speaker, Nigel Marven.
From its humble beginnings in 2013, the Spurn Migration Festival has continued to grow year on year.
With the beauty of Spurn as its backdrop, the festival promises to be a celebration of the natural
world and a testament to the vision of its founders.
For further information about the festival, including ticket purchases and a full programme of events,
please visit the Spurn Migration Festival website. Prices start from £23 for a day ticket and £65 for a
full package. Under 18’s day tickets are free.
Join us for our Annual Meeting for a day of interesting talks and a chance to network. Open to anyone with an interest in Dragonflies and wetland conservation.
We will also have some information stand with merchandise for sale.
This event is free but donations are welcome which help us cover the cost of the event. Registration is essential; book your ticket by filling in the form below.
Location: The day will be hosted in the Glamorgan Building at Cardiff University.
Refreshments: Teas and coffee will be provided upon arrival
Lunch: Is not provided, please bring your own lunch.
With a brilliant line up of speakers you will hear about the work of the society as well as current research and exciting dragonfly news across the UK. It is also a chance for us to come together a meet like-minded members of the society.
Programme:
| 10:00 | Arrive, registration teas/coffees |
| 10:30 | General Introduction and Announcements |
| 10:45 | Thinking big: Landscape scale conservation on the Gwent Levels – Chris Harris (Living Levels Partnership Programme Manager and BDS CDR) The Living Levels Partnership was formed in 2014 to promote and protect the Gwent Levels. This is a cross-organisational partnership, spanning administrative boundaries, and bringing together like-minded stakeholders to work together to collectively recapture, enhance and celebrate the historic area for all to enjoy. |
| 11:30 | Break |
| 11:45 | Talks from BDS Staff Odonates of Andalucía – Ellie Colver (Conservation Officer) A look at some of the species encountered in the waterways of Andalucía’s national parks. Conservation Work in Scotland – Jen Davidson (Scotland Conservation Officer) An update on exciting new projects in Scotland. |
| 12:30 | AGM led by BDS Trustees. This year’s BDS Accounts Report Trustees standing down and offering for re-election are Carmel Edwards and Josh Younespour: Re-election Trustee Bios New Trustees will be proposed for election as part of the AGM, for information: Proposed Trustee Bio’s |
| 13:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 | Youth Panel talk – From Hogwarts to the Land of the Rising Sun by Jake Dudderidge Jake will be telling us all about how his study of dragonflies at University took him all the way to Japan! |
| 14:30 | Ponds, Pools and Puddles – Prof Jeremy Biggs (Author and CEO Freshwater Habitat Trust) |
| 15:15 | Local to global pressures on freshwater ecosystems: hope or despair? – Prof Steve Ormerod (Cardiff University) Global data show how freshwaters are losing biodiversity faster than any other ecosystem while there is growing concern about the pollution of streams and rivers in the UK. Data from England and Wales reveal mixed fortunes, however. While there is growing pressures from intensifying agriculture and climate change, other evidence reveals some benefits from past regulatory interventions that provide some hope about the value of taking appropriate action. |
| 16:00 | Networking |
| 16:30 | Close |
Book your ticket here:
If you would like to book without using the online form, please contact Membership and Operations Officer Jess Slight by telephone or post.
Join us in celebrating Dragonflies across Britain!
During Dragonfly Week the BDS and other wildlife organisations host events celebrating Dragonflies and the importance of their wetland habitat.
Dragonfly Week events will be listed on the BDS Event page.
Resources will be made available via the Dragonfly Week page.
If you are considering delving into the identification of dragonfly and damselfly larvae or exuviae in the UK, then this intermediate course is ideal for you!
Through a combination of taught classroom content, lab-based workshop and outdoor fieldwork, you will gain confidence in using the identification guide to identify dragonfly and damselfly larvae and exuviae.
This course will include:
- A description of the lifecycle of dragonflies and damselflies explaining the role of larvae and an explanation of exuviae
- The external (morphological) features used in larvae and exuviae identification
- Practical experience using the ‘Field Guide to the Larvae and Exuviae of British Dragonflies’ by Steve Cham to determine specimens accurately to species level
- Practical experience observing larvae and exuviae ID features using a microscope
- A description of the lifecycle of dragon and damselflies explaining the role of larvae and an explanation of exuviae
- The external (morphological) features used in larvae and exuviae identification
- Practical experience using the ‘Field Guide to the Larvae and Exuviae of British Dragonflies’ by Steve Cham to determine specimens accurately to species level
- Practical experience observing larvae and exuviae ID features using a microscope
- Guidance on how to take your interest further and contribute to the British Dragonfly Society Recording Scheme, and therefore the conservation of dragonflies and damselflies