Just a hint of summer has prompted more emergence. Jan Shields photographed this very fresh teneral male by her pond and also captured the comparison below of the adult head next to the exuvia. Fascinating to see the very different shape of the adult head once the insect has fully emerged. Julian Cartwright has taken a similar photo of Southern Hawker (below right) which clearly shows the long slender shape of the mask on the exuviae- a diagnostic feature that helps separate this hawker from some of the others.
Elsewhere Geoff Hall has been recording more Black Darters and has sent in this great head on shot clearly illustrating the diagnostic black triangle on top of the thorax.
