The table below lists the 33 species of dragonfly which have been reliably recorded in Monmouthshire.  Some of these are rare visitors to the county: records of these are of particular interest, and can be added to our county database if supporting evidence is provided, such as a photograph or some notes describing what was seen and how more common lookalike species were ruled out. Some of our resident species are usually only found in certain areas of the county and so supporting evidence is asked for if these are seen outside their usual areas.

One further species, Banded Darter Sympetrum pedemontanum, was found in 1995 near Tredegar, and listed in several publications as being seen within Monmouthshire. Research for an account of this occurrence led to the realisation that it spent its time wholly within Breconshire, so unfortunately this distinctive insect (the first, and as of 2022, the only, British record) is no longer on the county list. Single unconfirmed records each of two other species (Downy Emerald Cordulia aenea and Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva) were reviewed in 2020/2021 and no supporting evidence could be traced for either, so these have been excluded from the list. Subsequently (2023) further details of the putative Scarce Chaser (on the Blorenge in 1983) have come to light: photographs of it were examined shortly after it was reported, and it was a misidentified Broad-bodied Chaser.

For a version of this list in PDF format, annotated with status summaries, click here.

English name	Scientific name	Supporting evidence requested for
Emerald Damselfly	Lestes sponsa
Banded Demoiselle	Calopteryx splendens
Beautiful Demoiselle	Calopteryx virgo
White-legged Damselfly	Platycnemis pennipes	records away from the Usk, Wye and Monnow
Small Red Damselfly	Ceriagrion tenellum	all records
Azure Damselfly	Coenagrion puella
Variable Damselfly	Coenagrion pulchellum	all records
Common Blue Damselfly	Enallagma cyathigerum
Red-eyed Damselfly	Erythromma najas	new sites
Small Red-eyed Damselfly	Erythromma viridulum
Blue-tailed Damselfly	Ischnura elegans
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly	Ischnura pumilio	records away from western upland areas
Large Red Damselfly	Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Southern Migrant Hawker	Aeshna affinis	all records
Southern Hawker	Aeshna cyanea
Brown Hawker	Aeshna grandis	records away from the northwest of the county
Common Hawker	Aeshna juncea	records away from western upland areas
Migrant Hawker	Aeshna mixta
Vagrant Emperor	Anax ephippiger	all records
Emperor Dragonfly	Anax imperator
Lesser Emperor	Anax parthenope	all records
Hairy Dragonfly	Brachytron pratense	records away from the Gwent Levels
Common Clubtail	Gomphus vulgatissimus	records away from the River Wye
Golden-ringed Dragonfly	Cordulegaster boltonii	records in unusual locations (e.g. the Gwent Levels)
Broad-bodied Chaser	Libellula depressa
Four-spotted Chaser	Libellula quadrimaculata
Black-tailed Skimmer	Orthetrum cancellatum
Keeled Skimmer	Orthetrum coerulescens	records away from western upland areas
Black Darter	Sympetrum danae	records away from western upland areas
Yellow-winged Darter	Sympetrum flaveolum	all records
Red-veined Darter	Sympetrum fonscolombii	all records
Ruddy Darter	Sympetrum sanguineum	new sites away from the Gwent Levels
Common Darter	Sympetrum striolatum

 

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