Norfolk Hawkers in Shropshire

14/06/2024

Shropshire County Dragonfly Recorder, Sue Rees Evans, has made the first sightings of Norfolk Hawker (Aeshna isoceles) in Shropshire. She recorded three in total at a private site on the Isle Estate: a male and a mating pair. This is well outside the species core range which has, until recently, been limited to the south-east and east of England. Over the past few years the species has been reported at number of new locations far from any known colonies. In 2023 the species was seen again at Amberswood near Wigan in Lancashire, implying a new breeding colony must now also be present there. Multiple sightings along the coast of East Sussex and southern Kent also indicate new breeding sites. In addition, individuals were seen at Lower Bruckland Ponds in Devon, Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, Far Ings in north Lincolnshire and Goole in East Yorkshire. The species is currently listed as Endangered and is a protected species in the UK, meaning disturbance and habitat destruction is prohibited. The Endangered status reflects the fact a large portion of its core range in the East Anglian Broads is threatened by sea level rise as a result of climate change. The recent pattern of range expansion therefore gives renewed hope for the species future in the UK.

Visit the Shropshire Dragonflies website.

 

Image by Pam Taylor