POST review of freshwater habitat restoration in the UK
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) works to ensure that the best research evidence is brought to bear on the legislative process of Government. POST recently published a report reviewing evidence relating to the restoration of freshwater habitats in the UK. Overall the report highlights the value of freshwater wetlands and how many…
New free guide to pond restoration, creation and management.
Two thirds of the ponds in England and Wales have been lost; the countryside is littered with dried out farmland ponds, over shaded by tree growth. Many freshwater species are now rare or threatened, and ponds provide an important refuge for them. This new guide aims to assist land managers in restoring and creating new…
Donate your spare exuviae
Have you got a stash of spare exuviae? Please consider donating them to the BDS! They are a vital resource we need to teach the life cycle and larvae/exuviae identification. Please post them to: British Dragonfly Society c/o Natural England Parkside Court Hall Park Way TELFORD, TF3 4LR Thank you! Image by Bruce…
Buglife completes Important Invertebrate Areas Map for Wales
Wales has become the first country in the world with a map of its most important areas for insects and other invertebrates – a vital source of information to help guide nature recovery in Wales. The network of 17 Important Invertebrate Areas (IIAs) cover 1,344km2 of Wales and are home to nationally or internationally significant…
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.
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…