Surprisingly amidst such changeable weather the first Southern Hawker sighting has been made by Julian Bromhead in Snailbeach. Julian’s photo (left) shows this teneral male with unmistakeable broad antehumeral (shoulder) stripes seen perched on hawthorn on May 25th.
Elsewhere Martyn Moore has been watching Broad-bodied Chaser emerge at Llanllwyd west of Newcastle heading towards the Shropshire border. Martyn’s photos show the fabulous exuvia left behind with very ‘froggy sticking up eyes’ and characteristic deep serrations between the 2 labial palps covering the front of the face area.
A few Common Clubtail records are still coming in, Neil Gregory sending in this photo of a female (bottom left) seen near the River Severn at Highley. The clearly separated eyes distinguish this species from all other dragonflies (not damselflies) in the UK and the stocky body and smooth rear margin of the hindwing tell us this is a female. The rear wing margin of the male is acutely angled inwards to allow space for the female’s legs during mating.
