Attenborough Nature Reserve

Dragonflies


Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta)

The Migrant Hawker, although of essentially continental distribution, is nowadays common at Attenborough with numbers having increased in the last forty to fifty years. Numbers in the tens can be seen in the peak of the flight period from late July to October. They are said to be partially migratory but are also assumed to be resident at Attenborough.
This species is the smallest and the slimmest of the hawker dragonflies. Male and female have blue and brown abdomen and the thorax has a reduced or absent 'shoulder' stripe. Other species of blue hawkers are not present at Attenborough and this species has clear wings unlike the Brown Hawker.



Male Migrant Hawker

It is often found well away from water in wooded areas and along the edges of trees and bushes. It is non-territorial and more than one can be seen sharing a beat. They feed quite late in the evening and often quite high up but do come down to rest on vegetation where they hang vertically. They are commonest around the Delta.



Female Migrant Hawker