Monmouthshire annual dragonfly summary 2019
2019 was a notable year for dragonflies in Monmouthshire. The highlight was our first Southern Migrant Hawker, found by Gavin Vella at Llandegfedd reservoir. Then, in October, our second Vagrant Emperor was found on the Gwent Levels. Small Red-eyed Damselfly continued to consolidate its range in the south of the county, and it will surely spread further still. The backlog of records from pre-2019 has now been completely processed in time for inclusion in the atlas. I have compiled a list of dragonflies for Monmouthshire, which you can obtain by emailing me. The most likely species to be found here next is probably Scarce Chaser, as this species has expanded its numbers in nearby parts of England. Downy Emerald is another possibility: there are no confirmed records but it is present next door in Gloucestershire. Another challenge for any recorders here is to establish if Small Red Damselfly is still present in the northwest of the county: there are no recent records, but there is a good chance it is still here. Thanks to everyone who’s kept me busy with a steady flow of records this year: keep up the good work.
Steve Preddy, Monmouthshire County Dragonfly Recorder, British Dragonfly Society