Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)
Perhaps our most beautiful dragonfly the Southern Hawker with it's striking brown and apple green markings and broad ante-humeral stripes of green or yellow. It is not uncommon but is never seen together in any numbers. The flying population is probably in the low tens on the reserve and the flight period is from mid-July to late September or early October.
The species is often seen along wood sides, in rides and along paths and hedges hawking for flies. It is inquisitive and will approach an observer to investigate but then dart away with split second timing. As with other Aeshnas, they hunt into the evening.
Male Southern Hawker
Pairing is rarely seen since it takes place high in the trees. Teneral or immature adults keep well away from the water since their wings are not yet strong enough to stand the buffeting of territorial clashes which are audible to the human observer.
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