Miles Leach noticed this female Southern Hawker emerging from his garden pond and was surprised to find it still there the following day…and a few days after that. On closer inspection there was no sign of the exuvia, the wings were clearly damaged and what’s more covered in duckweed! The evidence suggests this individual sadly re- immersed having emerged from the water and the resultant damage meant it was unable to fly. Eventually the dragonfly disappeared, but again based on the evidence the likelihood is it flew off in a beak!
Miles also photographed this female Common Darter- a lovely photo illustrating the diagnostic yellow stripe down the black legs which helps split this species from Ruddy Darter.
