19th May saw the emergence of our first Emperor Dragonflies. Neil Gregory spotted this immature male near Dowles Brook in the Wyre Forest and elsewhere in a pond near Minsterley good numbers of exuviae were found on the vegetation. The exuvia (below left) is far larger than that of any other species and if you look closely you can see how the hind margin of the eyes is almost parallel to the rear of the head. This is different in other hawker larvae which will emerge later next month.
Elsewhere some good numbers of dragons and damselflies are building when weather allows. Julian Cartwright has sent in this lovely photo of a Four-spotted Chaser (below right) illustrating the four black spots at the nodes (central flex point) of the wings.
