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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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Keeled Skimmers on the wing

Jan Shields has been up to Cramer Gutter where there were 'masses of Golden-ringeds' and good numbers of Keeled Skimmer. The Keeled Skimmer is a Shropshire rarity found only in a handful of locations, Cramer…
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August 15, 2022
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Scarce but a spectacular one to look out for…

I don't normally post photos taken beyond our Shropshire borders, but I had to post these. Any Warr has been enjoying a population of around a 1000 (!) Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies at a working sandpit at…
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August 10, 2022
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Always worth a second look…

Geoff Hall has sent in this rather battered old specimen of a Broad-bodied Chaser seen at The Bog near the Stiperstones. I was about to wax lyrical about the good sustained weather allowing this male…
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August 10, 2022
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Hawkers in full flight…

Andy Warr has sent in some fabulous in-flight photos of Common Hawkers (left and below left) seen on Titterstone Clee Hill showing clearly the yellow costa on the wings and the narrow yet prominent antehumeral…
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August 9, 2022
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On reflection it’s worth a look…

Curious Raven sent in this fascinating photo. At first glance an unidentified blur of wings but if you look at the reflection on the water it is clearly a Four-spotted Chaser! Chris Johnson has also…
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July 19, 2022
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Emperor ruling the skies…

Well as most of us hideaway from ridiculous temperatures it seems the dragonflies are loving it! Curious Raven has sent in this fabulous photo of a male Emperor on the wing in Edgmond, near Newport.…
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July 18, 2022
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Ruddy Darter on the wing…

Julian Cartwright has been enjoying a nice selection of species at Preston Montford FSC including this male Ruddy Darter (left). We can clearly see the ruddy frons and general deep red coloration explaining the species name…
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July 16, 2022
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Brown Hawker on the wing…

The first 2022 Brown Hawker record has come in from Shrewsbury where the dragonfly spent a good 30min hawking up and down a garden occasionally pausing to eat it's insect prey. Elsewhere a couple of lovely…
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July 1, 2022
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Black Darters on the wing…

Stephen Barlow has sent in the first picture of Black Darter for this year (left). Seen at Whixall Moss this female looks very like an immature male but has a far broader straighter abdomen and…
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June 22, 2022
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Prime time for dragonflies…

With the weather warming up dragonflies abound! Jan Shields braved the heat at Whixall Moss at the weekend and saw a male teneral Southern Hawker (left) still very pale and yet to develop full coloration.…
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June 20, 2022
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Emeralds and Golden-ringed on the wing

Two more species have taken to the skies; Emerald Damselfly and Golden-ringed Dragonfly. This immature male Emerald Damselfly was spotted by Stephen Barlow on Whixall Moss. All the brown areas will become powdery blue as the…
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June 20, 2022
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Southern Hawker on the wing…

After a couple of anonymous sightings on iRecord we now have proof that Southern Hawker is definitely on the wing. Jan Shields has found the first Southern Hawker exuvia on her pond for this year…
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June 16, 2022
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A pair of Clubs…

Mark Rogers has been lucky enough to spot 2 Clubtails resting on the same leaf! These are both teneral specimens with opaque eyes and glassy wings. Both the female and immature male are black and yellow…
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June 12, 2022
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Emperor on the wing…

Jan Shields has sent in the first photos of Black-tailed Skimmer; a teneral seen here (left) showing the diagnostic black ladder patterning on the yellow abdomen. Jan also saw a number of Emperors and the…
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June 12, 2022
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Red eyes on pink flowers…

Debbie Simpson has sent in this lovely photo of Red-eyed Damselflies (and a Common Blue lurking below) seen on Amphibious Bistort in Coalport. The differences between the male and female are clear, not least the…
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June 9, 2022
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Demoiselles on the River Tern

Curious Raven has been photographing Demoiselles on the River Tern at Walkmills Nature Site in Market Drayton. Both UK species were present which gives us the opportunity to compare the males. The Beautiful male (left) has…
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June 6, 2022
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Beautiful Broad-bodied Chasers

Jan Shields has been enjoying good numbers of Common Blue, Large Red and Azure Damselflies at Snailbeach Reservoir...along side Broad-bodied Chasers. Jan's photos clearly show how flattened the abdomen of the Broad-bodied Chaser is hence…
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June 1, 2022
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Downy Emerald Dragonfly at Mousecroft Pool!

A single Downy Emerald had been spotted and photographed on 27th and 28th May at Mousecroft Pool near Shrewsbury! This is a rare species for Shropshire usually confined to a few private sites so this…
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May 29, 2022
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Extraordinary emergence…

Many of us have been lucky enough to witness emerging dragonflies, but I always find sights like this incredible. Jenny Allaway has sent in this photo of Common Clubtail emerging on the banks of the River…
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May 24, 2022
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Clubbing in Shrewsbury…

Good numbers of Clubtail sightings are coming in from people seeing them right in the heart of town. Andy Beech has also been seeing White-legged Damselflies (left) also emerging from the River Severn in town…
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May 22, 2022

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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