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Shropshire Dragonfly Watch BlogKeeping an eye on the dragonflies flying in Shropshire

Common Darter male

The purpose of this blog is to keep dragonfly enthusiasts up to date with dragonfly activity throughout the season. This way we should all know first hand what’s on the wing in Shropshire.

 

All are very welcome to be part of this seasonal diary. Get in touch via the  contact form with sightings and photographs so I can post them on the blog. Even if you’re new to dragonflies and not sure what you have photographed please send it in and get involved in the 2025 Shropshire Dragonfly Watch.

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Spots before the eyes…

Geoff Hall has sent in this fabulous head on shot of a Four-spotted Chaser seen at Whixall Moss. You can see the four spots - one in the middle (node) of each wing- that give…
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July 8, 2024
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Majestic Emperor…

Paul Thomas has sent in some wonderful inflight photos of our largest UK species the Emperor Dragonfly. Pictured left is the female and below, the male and both photos clearly show how they neatly tuck…
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July 6, 2024
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Keeled Skimmers out and about…

Anna McCann has sent in the first sighting of Keeled Skimmer for this year. This female (left) was recorded roughley half a km from a known breeding area on the Long Mynd, but is a…
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June 25, 2024
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Black Darters on the wing…

Glimpses of summer have brought out the Black Darters at Whixall Moss. Stephen Barlow reports a number of tenerals including this female (left) showing clearly the diagnostic black triangle on top of the thorax. Common…
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June 21, 2024
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As fresh as it gets…

Miles Leach has sent in this great photo of a female Azure Damselfly dining out in Tugford...fly apparently optimistically still kicking! It will be interesting to see how our species fare as June seems to…
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June 14, 2024
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2 more important species on the wing…

12th June saw the emergence of 2 more species at Whixall Moss. Stephen Barlow recorded this teneral Common Hawker (left) and then Stephen and Nathan Brake both saw Emerald Damselflies (below left) on different areas…
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June 13, 2024
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Golden-ringed Dragonfly on the wing…

Golden-ringed Dragonfly has been photographed on June 2nd near The Lawley. Sadly this was reported via iNat where the default licensing means I cannot use the photo and I cannot contact the recorder....so if you're…
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June 10, 2024
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A couple of new Darters for the weekend…

Despite the cooler weather 2 more Darter species have been seen at Whixall Moss. Firstly on the 6th June Stephen Barlow recorded Common Darter (top left) followed today by Nathn Brake recording the very similar…
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June 7, 2024
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Black-tailed Skimmer on the wing…

Sightings of Black-tailed Skimmer have been made at Aston Locks and Venus Pool, both on 2nd June. As no photos came with the records I've posted this female photographed a couple of years ago by…
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June 6, 2024
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New County Record…Norfolk Hawker!

In recent talks about dragonflies I've mentioned the possibility of Norfolk Hawker turning up and incredibly it has! I was surveying a privately owned site Isle Pool and saw a male and a separate mating…
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June 2, 2024
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Southern Hawker on the wing…

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…
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May 28, 2024
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A Bundle of Blues…

Jim Almond has been enjoying 'the blues' at a private site just south of Shrewsbury. Pictured left is a male Variable Damselfly- a rare species in Shropshire identified by the characteristic broken antehumeral stripes giving…
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May 23, 2024
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Emperors take to the skies…

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…
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May 21, 2024
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2 more species on the wing…

A slower couple of days (which gives me a chance to catch up!), but a sighting of Red-eyed Damselfly has been reported and elsewhere Steve Oates has seen White-legged Damselfly on the River Severn near…
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May 16, 2024
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Clubtails are emerging…

Saturday 11th saw the first Clubtails emerging from the River Severn and these were beautifully photographed by Jan Shields at Frankwell. Shrewsbury is a great place to see these rare insects emerging along the river…
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May 13, 2024
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Look out for Downy Emeralds…

Just a heads up after I was contacted by Sandy and Paul Roughley who were lucky enough to see over 20 emerging Downy Emeralds at Llyn Ebyr near Llanidloes mid Wales on May 10th. Their…
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May 13, 2024
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A hot and busy weekend…

Well the sun came out and with it a host of dragon and damselflies! The first Common Blue Damselflies were seen on 8th May at Whixall Moss and a few days later photographed by Tim…
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May 13, 2024
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Banded Demoiselles on the wing…

Gareth Lambe has been spotting Banded Demoiselles on the River Meese at Pickstock, just noth of Newport. Beautiful Demoiselles were also in and around the vegetation and a good number of Azure Damselflies. Let's see…
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May 10, 2024
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The tricky end of damselfly ID…

Pictured left we have the teneral female Blue-tailed Damselfly photographed by Tim Walters at Pam's Pools on 4th May. Clearly not much sign of colour yet but some of the markings are still visible including…
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May 8, 2024
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Three more species on the wing…

And finally the sun came out! ...and with it came 3 more species on the wing. Beautiful Demoiselle was seen on Dowles Brook in the Wyre Forest and also seen at Hodnet Hall where Dave…
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May 7, 2024
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White-faced Darter on the wing…

Stephen Barlow reports White-faced Darters are starting to emerge at Whixall Moss and he spotted his first of the year on the Shropshire side on 28th April. Four-spotted Chasers are also out and about along…
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April 29, 2024

Species recorded in 2025…

Large Red Damselfly

5th April

Common Blue Damselfly

22nd April

White-faced Darter

24th April

Four-spotted Chaser

24th April

Broad-bodied Chaser

27th April

Azure Damselfly

28th April

Blue-tailed Damselfly

28th April

Beautiful Demoiselle

28th April

Common Clubtail

5th May

Banded Demoiselle

6th May

Red-eyed Damselfly

16th May

White-legged Damselfly

16th May

Emperor Dragonfly

16th May

Black-tailed Skimmer

19th May

Norfolk Hawker

21st May

Variable Damselfly

21st May

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

29th May

Emerald Damselfly

30th May

Downy Emerald Dragonfly

31st May

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

4th June

Common Darter

6th June

Black Darter

11th June

Common Hawker

13th June

Ruddy Darter

14th June

Keeled Skimmer

14th June

Brown Hawker

15th June

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