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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 2026 Shropshire Dragonfly Watch.

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White-legged Damselfly form lactea

Julie Rogers has sent in more great photos taken near the canal at Whixall Moss. This immature female White-legged Damselfly (left) is really pale with barely any markings and referred to as form lactea. She…
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July 15, 2021
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The most important records…

Yes, exuviae are rather brown and drab, but they are also the most important biological records as they are proof that a species has successfully bred at a particular waterbody. In this case Andy Warr…
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July 14, 2021
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A Garden Favourite…

Well 2 garden favourites really...raspberries and Southern Hawkers! Liz Honer has sent in this lovely photo of a male Southern Hawker...still maturing as the colours are quite pale, but the diagnostic abdominal markings are very…
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July 13, 2021
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Setting the record straight…

After writing the last post I thought it was time for some 'textbook' dragonflies and Nick Moss has sent in this perfectly straight male Golden-ringed Dragonfly..and what's more this wasn't in his living room, but…
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July 9, 2021
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Golden-ringed dragonfly moves in!

Theresa Jones has had the extraordinary experience of wondering into her living room to find a Golden-ringed Dragonfly! Even stranger, Theresa's living room is not surrounded by typical Golden-ringed habitat, but in Longden just southwest…
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July 6, 2021
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Southern Hawker finally emerges!

Finally against the 'hungry birds odds' a Southern Hawker has successfully emerged from Jan Shields pond! Lovely to see these garden pond favourites on the wing and if you have a close encounter with a…
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July 1, 2021
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The joys and frustrations of your own pond…

Miles Leach has been keeping an eye on a friends new farm pond on the western slopes of Brown Clee Hill and has photographed Broad-bodied Chasers (left) and Azure Damselflies (below left). Broad-bodied Chasers are…
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June 28, 2021
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A couple of common species?

...well both called 'common' but that's misleading! Pictured left is a female teneral Common Darter - a common and widespread species found at almost any kind of waterbody from mid/late summer onwards. This individual was…
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June 25, 2021
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2 more species on the wing…

Black Darters have been seen by Gareth and Nicole Lambe on Whixall Moss and they have sent in 2 lovely photos of females.  The upper photo shows clearly the black triangle shape on top of…
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June 24, 2021
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A closer look at Downy Emerald …

A bit of cloud has given Jim Almond a chance to look through his recent pictures and he has sent in 2 more glorious photos of male Downy Emerald. You can clearly see the waisted…
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June 17, 2021
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The heat is on…

..and chaos ensues! Stephen Barlow has sent in these images of White-faced Darters from Whixall Moss. The image left shows a male attempting to drag another male away from the female (far left in the…
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June 15, 2021
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Club sandwich

Andy Beech has sent in this photo of a female Clubtail lunching on what we think is/was a damselfly. This individual was seen in Copthorne Park away from the River Severn. The majority of records…
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June 15, 2021
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All hail the Emperor…

It seems the hour of the Emperor Dragonfly is upon us! Returning to email I found several sightings of this fabulous insect starting on 11th June at the Wyre Forest and then on 12th June…
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June 15, 2021
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2 more species on the wing

Another hot day yesterday saw Jim Almond and myself battling through bogs and undergrowth to survey a private pool near Shrewsbury, but all was worth it when we saw Downy Emerald (left and below left)…
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June 10, 2021
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Tricky Blue-tailed Females

Tricky because female Blue-tailed Damselflies come in 5 colour forms. Two of these forms are immatures; form violacea with a purple thorax that we featured recently on the blog, and form rufescens. The latter is…
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June 8, 2021
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Clouds of Four-spotted Chasers

Jan Shields has had an amazing visit to Aston Locks where she saw up to 100 Four-spotted Chasers including emergent and teneral individuals and many on the wing- really great to hear of such numbers…
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June 3, 2021
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Chasing round the pond

Well my garden pond has mostly birds chasing around it who are sadly clearing up most of the emergent damselflies in the process! Warwick Davies is having more luck, after a slow start to the year…
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June 2, 2021
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Wonderful White-faced Darters!

Paul Spear has been out in the heat of the day at Whixall Moss and has sent in some wonderful photos of White-faced Darters. A male (left) and female (below left) in flight and a…
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June 1, 2021
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A closer look at female Common Blues…

Jim Almond has sent in these photos of a female Common Blue Damselfly which illustrate some of the useful diagnostic points to split these from other species. Broad antehumeral stripes are clearly visible on top…
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June 1, 2021
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Two more species on the wing…

A taste of sunshine has allowed 2 more species to emerge. Stephen Barlow saw this teneral male White-legged Damselfly on Marl Allotment at Whixall Moss, presumably having emerged from the nearby canal and now sheltering in the…
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May 28, 2021
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Emergent Demoiselles…

Paul Spear has sent in these great photos of Demoiselles emerging at Coalbrookdale. Pictured left is the mature larvae...though difficult to tell if Beautiful or Banded without a closer look...and both species were present. Below…
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May 27, 2021

Species recorded in 2026…

Large Red Damselfly

13th April

Blue-tailed Damselfly

23rd April

White-faced Darter

24th April

Beautiful Demoiselle

25th April

Azure Damselfly

27th April

Common Blue Damselfly

29th April

Broad-bodied Chaser

30th April

Four-spotted Chaser

2nd May

Hairy Dragonfly

4th May

Common Clubtail

5th May

Banded Demoiselle

6th May

White-legged Damselfly

10th May

Red-eyed Damselfly

20th May

Emperor Dragonfly

24th May

Black-tailed Skimmer

29th May

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

5th June

Scarce Chaser

8th June

Emerald Damselfly

12th June

Ruddy Darter

14th June

Norfolk Hawker

18th June

Southern Hawker

18th June

Brown Hawker

20th June

Common Darter

21st June

Willow Emerald

21st June

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

29th June

Black Darter

29th June

Lesser Emperor

4th July

Red-veined Darter

6th July

Migrant Hawker

19th July

Keeled Skimmer

13th August

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