Skip to main content
search

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.

Blog

Heat and confusion…

Geoff Hall has sent in this pair of Darters in cop seen at The Bog. At a glance all seems well until you realise the male is a Black Darter and the female a Common…
admin
August 25, 2025
Blog

Second Site for Willow Emerald…

Geoff Hall has seen Willow Emerald at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre at Craven Arms- only the second recorded site for this species in Shropshire! This male was seen illustrating the characteristic spread wings, the long…
admin
August 17, 2025
Blog

15 Keeled Skimmers!

Jan Shields was treated to no less than 15 Keeled Skimmers at Cramer Gutter last Friday. Lovely and surprising to see given how dry everything is becoming. Apparently they were all male and no females.…
admin
August 10, 2025
Blog

Declining species…

Mark Underwood has sent in some great photos from Pole Cottage Pools on the Longmynd - showing 2 of our sadly declining upland species that have both been classified as Endangered on the recently updated…
admin
August 7, 2025
Blog

ID close ups…

Julian Livsey has sent in a great close up of Migrant Hawker seen near Pontesbury. This male has text book 'reduced' antehumeral stripes and a perfect yellow 'golf tee' shape on segment 2 of the…
admin
August 5, 2025
Blog

Norfolk Hawker near Church Stretton!

Bob Dennison (County Dragonfly Recorder for Radnorshire) has seen a male Norfolk Hawker flying at New House farm Pools SO4694 9429 near Church Stretton. No photo, but incredible that we now have 3 separate locations…
admin
August 4, 2025
Blog

Darters to be aware of…

Jan Shields has sent in some great photos of darters...not all from the UK, but all these species are now present in the UK so it's definitely worth being aware of some rarities you just…
admin
July 30, 2025
Blog

A photo-bombing hoverfly…

Mark Underwood planned to photograph this Black Darter up at Pole Cottage Pools only to find someone else in the photo! The result is a beautiful display of black and yellow insects and a reminder…
admin
July 17, 2025
Blog

Doing what it says on the tin…

Geoff Hall has sent in this wonderful photo of the white frons (face area) of the White-face Darter seen up at Whixall Moss. The photo below also shows white veins extending beyond the pterostigma towards…
admin
July 10, 2025
Blog

Useful things to look for…

Andrew Turner has sent in these lovely photos of a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly seen at Cramer Gutter. They really illustrate close up the fabulous green eyes that meet just at a single point. You can…
admin
July 8, 2025
Blog

Spots before the eyes…

Bob Kemp has sent in this great photo of a Four-spotted Chaser and wonderful reflection! It is a form called praenubila which simply has more black at the wing nodes and towards the end of…
admin
July 2, 2025
Blog

2 more species on the wing…

Sightings of Small Red-eyed Damselfly have come in from Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre where Geoff Hall saw about 10 individuals - some beautifully pictured here. The red eyes on this species really do stand out…
admin
July 1, 2025
Blog

A few more shots of Norfolk Hawker…

I make no apologies for more photos of Norfolk Hawker as I still find it incredible that we have it in 2 locations (so far) in Shropshire. Roger Wilkinson saw a mating pair and 1…
admin
June 26, 2025
Blog

Keeled Skimmer & more…

Thank you so much for all the photos and records that are coming in -it makes it hard to select a few! Geoff Hall has been at Upper Darnford where he spotted this female Keeled…
admin
June 24, 2025
Blog

Norfolk Hawker in flight…

There have now been 4 sightings of Norfolk Hawker (that I know of!) up on Whixall Moss. Bob Kemp has sent in these lovely inflight shots showing clearly the green eyes and clear wings that…
admin
June 24, 2025
Blog

Norfolk Hawker photos…

Ron Kinrade has sent in these lovely photos of 3 Norfolk Hawkers seen at Whixall Moss on 19th June on the large lake when you have just passed the advertised White-faced Darter pool. The clear…
admin
June 20, 2025
Blog

Let’s do lunch!

Mark Underwood has sent in this photo of a female Brown Hawker enjoying what looks like an exotic lunch? This was taken at Bayston Hill Quarry where reportedly there were loads of Broad-bodied and Four-spotted…
admin
June 18, 2025
Blog

Four new species on the wing…

Tim Walter has sent in this beautiful multiple exposure photo of Ruddy Darter flying from a bramble at Pam's Pools. Tim also sent in the inflight Emperor (left below) which shows really clearly the blocks…
admin
June 16, 2025
Blog

Between the downpours…

Heavy rain has postponed an afternoons damselfly identification course so I thought I'd post a couple of recent records showing what we may have seen! Planning to visit Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre we may well…
admin
June 12, 2025

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

Southern Hawker

28th June

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

29th June

Migrant Hawker

24th July

Willow Emerald Damselfly 

30th July

Close Menu