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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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Four-spotted Chasers in the sunshine!

Stephen Barlow who is lucky enough to be doing his daily exercise on Whixall Moss has seen the first Four-spotted Chasers for Shropshire this year- about 10 of them to be precise! This lovely photo…
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April 22, 2020
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Large Red Damselflies on the wing!

Well still nothing on my home pond, but David Williams has been lucky enough to spot several teneral Large Red Damselflies flying out of the heather on his local exercise route at Stoney Hill, Telford.…
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April 17, 2020
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Anything on the wing this Spring?

Well in such unprecedented times it's some comfort to know Large Red Damselflies will be carrying on as normal! Records have already come in further south and typically we expect the first Shropshire sightings in…
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April 7, 2020
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Late records coming in…

Stephen Barlow has sent in this stunning landscape of Whixall Moss with snow on the distant hills and ice on the ponds! Who'd have thought on the same day (10th Nov) he would see the…
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November 11, 2019
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Sun still shining…

A sunny Sunday (27th Oct) revealed Black Darter (male left) and Common Darter (female below) still on the wing at Whixall Moss. Stephen Barlow's pic of the female Common Darter shows clearly the diagnostic yellow…
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October 29, 2019
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Dragons still on the wing…

A sunny but cool day on Whixall Moss (16th Oct) rewarded Stephen Barlow with a reasonable number of late summer sightings. Seeking out the sheltered basking spots Stephen photographed a nice collection of Black Darter…
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October 23, 2019
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Autumn Dragon fest…

Monsoon conditions today, but last weeks wonderful weather brought the late summer dragons out and about. Jan Shields described a 'Dragon Fest' at Snailbeach where large numbers of ovipositing Common Darter (left) were covering the…
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September 24, 2019
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Hawkers enjoying the heat…

The recent hot spell has brought in some fabulous photos; firstly this male Migrant Hawker in flight taken by Jan Shields at Mousecroft Pool near Shrewsbury and secondly (below) a beautiful shot of a female…
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August 28, 2019
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Keeled Skimmer on the wing

Jan Shields has been enjoying the Keeled Skimmers up at Crammer Gutter on Catherton Common. This species is a real habitat specialist being found on boggy flushes and runnels on some of our Shropshire heathland.…
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August 19, 2019
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More sightings of Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Mick Richardson has sent in some stunning photos including yet another sighting of our new Shropshire species for 2019; Small Red-eyed Damselfly. Mick saw 10+ individuals at Green Pond near Albrighton and new immediately what they…
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August 15, 2019
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The best review of all…

The guide book's so good even the dragonflies can't resist! A great photo sent in by Jonathan Bell taken in Norfolk....nowhere near Shropshire....but I couldn't resist a Ruddy Darter on a picture of a Ruddy…
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August 12, 2019
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Interesting Brown Hawker behaviour…

John Barratt has been observing Brown Hawkers on the wing at Cricklade and sent in these interesting pics. Males are often seen curling up the end of the abdomen in the process of transferring sperm,…
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August 12, 2019
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A few high summer species…

Jan Shields has sent in some great pics of our high summer species seen at Snailbeach and at Mousecroft Pool in Shrewsbury. This Common Darter male (left) shows the diagnostic striped legs and antehumeral stripes.…
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August 7, 2019
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New sighting of Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Another record of Small Red-eyed Damselfly has come in from Meurig Garbutt who saw numerous individuals including this one (left) at Dudmaston on 5th August. The photo shows the blue pigment on the sides of…
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August 7, 2019
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…and the female Migrant Hawker too

And just for the sake of completeness, the female Migrant Hawker also sent in by Peter Roberts. This picture shows the long anal appendages and the very faint reduced antehumeral stripes. Most noticeable as always…
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August 5, 2019
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Migrant Hawker on the wing…

Peter Roberts has recorded Migrant Hawker in his garden in Woore - way up in North East Shropshire. Peter's photo shows the immature male and though the colors are pale the diagnostic 'golf tee' shape…
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July 31, 2019
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Woodland favourite…

Often when walking in woods I'm closely inspected by Southern Hawker males or see them hawking up and down woodland rides. Kate Jones and family were also enjoying this male near some muddy puddles in…
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July 30, 2019
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Small Red-eyed Damselfly in Shropshire!!

Great news- we finally have the first recorded sightings of Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum in Shropshire! We've been expecting this species for about 4 or 5 years as it expanded it's range across from…
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July 30, 2019
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Southern Hawker takes to the skies…

Dodging showers last weekend at Preston Montford on the dragonfly course we saw numerous Southern Hawkers emerging and finally an adult female on the wing on the Sunday. Jan Shields has also seen this fabulous…
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July 22, 2019
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Ruddy Darter on the wing…

Jim Almond has been enjoying Ruddy Darters at Venus Pool since 8th July and has sent in a couple of pics of males. On the left we have a fully mature male with the distinctive…
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July 18, 2019

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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