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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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Nature find’s a way…

Having just enjoyed a week of sleet and wind in North Yorkshire I return to find the Shropshire weather has also been very unlike May! Despite this a number of species have somehow managed to emerge…
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May 25, 2021
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Completing the Variable picture..

Earlier this month Jim Almond sent in photos of the female Variable Damselfly blue form and to complete the picture we now have a female dark form (left and below left). These striking pictures not…
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May 14, 2021
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Hairy things to bear in mind…

Just a reminder that last spring in the Wyre Forest we saw the first Hairy Dragonflies in Shropshire for a while. The most recent previous confirmed record was a one-off sighting at Whixall Moss in 2013.…
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May 13, 2021
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Taking a closer look…

Another glorious photo of a recently emerged Four-spotted Chaser has been sent in by Stephen Barlow. I've zoomed in on a couple of areas just to enjoy the finer detail. Below left you can see the black…
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May 13, 2021
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Beautiful spring weather?!

Well fleeting glimpses of sunshine and thunderous downpours of hail aren't your classic recipe for successful dragonfly emergence. Stephen Barlow took this beautiful photo of a Four-spotted Chaser at Whixall Moss that had somehow completed…
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May 12, 2021
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Variable Damselfly and the joys of identification…

Jim Almond has spotted this fabulous female Variable Damselfly at a private site near Shrewsbury. The photographs illustrate the challenges of identification. Variables (as the name suggests) can be very Variable and the females are…
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April 30, 2021
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Blue-tailed Damselfly on the wing…

Maria Justamond has sent in this lovely photo of  Blue-tailed Damselfly seen at Upton Magna on 26th April. The females of this species have a number of different colour forms...5 to be precise! This is…
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April 27, 2021
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Large Reds spread their wings…

Stephen Barlow has sent in this photo of a male Large Red Damselfly at Whixall Moss which shows the beautiful deep red coloration once this species matures. Whixall Moss always seems to be the earliest…
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April 26, 2021
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White-faced Darter on the wing at Whixall

Sian Mercer has sent in the first 2021 photo of White-faced Darter seen during a morning stroll on 25th April. The photo shows an immature male with glassy wings typical of recently emerged individuals and…
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April 26, 2021
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Four-spotted Chaser on the wing…

More fabulous sunshine and Stephen Barlow reported the first Four-spotted Chaser from Whixall Moss on 22nd April pictured left. He also is seeing good numbers of Large Red Damselflies on the moss. Having scoured my pond…
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April 22, 2021
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First photos for 2021…

Stephen Barlow has sent in 2 great photos of Large Red Damselfly taken at Whixall Moss where 'multiple individuals' are now emerging. Above left is a female (form typica) with a stouter body than the…
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April 20, 2021
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Shropshire flight season under way!

The first Large Red Damselfly sighting has come in from Stephen Barlow at Whixall Moss. Just one individual seen on Thursday 15th April which took to the skies before a photo could be taken! Really…
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April 17, 2021
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Large Red Damselflies still in bed…?

...well a dog bed to be precise! Graham Wenman has sent in some photos of the Large Red Damselfly larvae he found residing in his 'dog bed pond'. The larvae are squat and distinctive and…
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April 6, 2021
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Spring is in the air…

Inspired by the warmth in the sun yesterday I was sifting a few leaves off the garden pond and unexpectedly pulled out a number of larvae; 2 huge chasers and a good few Large Red…
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March 22, 2021
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Still on the wing…

Stephen Barlow may have been unexpectedly dodging the 'un-forecast' showers on Whixall Moss, but he knew where to look and found this male Black Darter basking in the brief sunny spells in between! A nice record for…
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November 5, 2020
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Autumnal round up…

Having been unexpectedly unable to blog for a few weeks I thought I'd post some photos of our autumnal regulars; Migrant Hawker (female left and male below), Brown Hawker (male below right) and Black Darter…
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November 3, 2020
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Dawn Delights…

Andrew Fusek Peters has sent in some truly stunning photos taken on 29th September on the Long Mynd. Andrew took these pictures at dawn and has been rewarded with the amazing spectacle of dew on…
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October 4, 2020
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Dozens of Darters!

All this fabulous autumnal weather means there are still a good number of dragonflies about. Miles Leach was enjoying the sunshine on Monday at Boyne Water on Brown Clee and reports dozens of Black Darter…
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September 16, 2020
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Good numbers of Small Red-eyed Damselfly…

Jim Almond has been back to Dudmaston and taken these fabulous photos of Small Red-eyed Damselfly seen in good numbers on the main pond. Jim saw lots of copulating pairs perhaps making the most of…
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September 2, 2020
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Coping with the torrid heat of Shropshire…

Who'd have thought you could get too hot up on the Longmynd? Miles Leach has taken this great shot of a Black Darter male obelisking at Pole Cottage Pools. Usually such black coloration helps to absorb…
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August 20, 2020
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Garden Pond regulars…

Jan Shields has sent in this stunning in flight shot of a Southern Hawker taken at Mousecroft Pool near Shrewsbury. Unfortunately numbers and abundance of species appears to be low possibly due to disturbance from current…
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August 17, 2020

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

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