Latest Sightings

Circa 2 dozen Common Darters mating, ovipositing in new development offset ponds on a sunny October afternoon.

Whilst looking in our tropical fish tank we noticed the damselfly sitting on top of the filter. It looks as if it may have hatched in there.

2 brief sightings of a large (hawker or emperor sized) dull coloured dragonfly from the new hide at The Spinnies reserve, Gwynedd. I have seen Vagrant Emperor elsewhere in Europe, although not in UK and feel this is the most likely identification, but views were too brief and distant to be sure. Happy for anyone nearby to verify if possible.

Found at Longham Lakes whilst searching for Vagrant Emperor, photographed.

A female Vagrant Emperor at Longham Lakes was observed by four people. Probably been here since at least the previous weekend when two were seen, a male and female.

Female Vagrant Emperor, seen well and photographed, Caerthillian, The Lizard.

Magnificent, large dragonfly flew into living room on very sunny afternoon – Sandbraes area of Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran. After taking a photo of it as it settled on window ledge, we very carefully helped it outside open door again. Later that same afternoon we then saw a great number of dragonflies flying around us & amongst the ferns as if enjoying playing in the mid-October sunshine, whilst we took a walk to the nearby Viking Fort, at Kings Cross point, Whiting Bay. It was quite magical!

Common Darter resting on fallen branch in a clearing at the end of Spurn Point, at the mouth of the Humber Estuary

On a walk between Thurlby annd Kates Bridge ( Lincs)
Saw at least 12- 15 Common Darters Male& Female

Seen on a path, perhaps just resting or unwell? Looked uninjured and alive and a beautiful brown and bright green!

I often go to Edgbaston’s lovely Cannon Hill Park in my lunch break. They have a 25m long scale model of the Elan Valley reservoirs that supply Birmingham’s water and I have seen several Odonata species there. In the weak autumn sunshine the dragonflies enjoy the warm concrete. They are declining now of course, but today two elderly male Common Darters were out basking, looking ruddy and rather inactive.

Southern Hawker resting on my white house wall in the sunshine mid afternoon. Only reporting this because having checked the distribution map on your site the Isle of Skye is not include. Have photos if required.

Flew past me and landed on shrub

Garden in Little Common East Sussex

I saw 10+ large red Damselflies by the River in West Lochaber

One female Red-veined Darter, within the middle of a reedbed at Hengistbury Head, Christchurch. A rarity within Christchurch Harbour, with few records in recent years.

Willow Emerald Damselfly seen perched on a leaf by a brook in mid Bedfordshire.

Red-veined Darter
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory

Our latest ever record by nearly a month.

Male over garden pond

An afternoon visit to Nethergong at 2pm produced 51 Willow Emerald Damselfly, c20 Migrant Hawker and c25 Common Darter.

I was sat on a bench along the Rivelin Valley footpath in Sheffield. I had noticed a common darter perching on the bench, which took off as I sat down. I thought I had scared it off, but it flew around me and landed again on more or less the same spot. Over the next 10 minutes it did this several times, and I realised that it was hunting and feeding. In between sorties, it’s jaws could be seen moving. This would be followed by several cocks of its head, before it would dart out and grab its next meal.

Black and yellow Dragonflie, in my back garden in Plymouth,Devon..

I saw 2 southern hawkers egg laying at my small garden pond, near Yelverton, Devon.

Male willow emerald damselfly on hedgerow. Coneywood Road, Wimblington, PE15

A large mainly green dragonfly in the garden has been visiting for a couple of weeks,even came in doors briefly. Tried a photograph but it was very quick in flight didn’t settle anywhere. Beautiful colour green. [Very probably a Southern Hawker dragonfly – GHM BDS]

Several females seen at the RSPB site in the Forest of Dean near the pond

Spotted in my garden this morning! I do not have a water feature but there is a river in the field nearby. It very large and quite beautiful blue and gold.

At a local forest in Horsell, was a small lake with Emperor buzzing every where! We now call it dragonfly lake!

We saw common hawker on our washing. We have large ponds and see all sorts of dragonflies but this is the first time we have been able to see one up close and photograph it.

Area – Aghalee, Co Armagh, N Ireland

Male willow emerald damselfly, spotted in the large beech hedgerow by garden centre show garden, hunting mosquitoes.
Plus 4 Common darters, 2 migrant hawkers.