Good year for dragonflies and damselflies

Spectacular display of downy emeralds

December 2011: This year has proved a bumper year for dragonflies and damselflies in the Cotswold Water Park (CWP) with record numbers of the park's rarest species and additional records of new arrivals.

In one of the most spectacular sights, more than 100 downy emerald dragonflies were seen emerging simultaneously at a lake near Somerford Keynes. This is all the more amazing considering this is a nationally scarce species and the focus of conservation action in the CWP.


Over half of the species of UK dragonfly and damselfly can be found at the park, often in extraordinarily high numbers. There are swarms of millions of tiny blue damselflies in May and June, often being buzzed by a larger hawker dragonfly, iridescent in the sunlight as it twists and turns upon its prey.

Some of the UK's most important dragonfly populations
The CWP supports a massive range of wildlife, ranging from waterbirds to bats and aquatic plants, and the dragonfly populations are amongst the most important in the UK.

As dragonflies are a clear indicator of habitat quality and climate, the monitoring of the dragonfly population provides important clues regarding minor changes to climate and habitat quality, and will provide an important record for future generations.

Gareth Harris, CWP Trust's biodiversity manager, says: ‘Four years of detailed survey by some expert surveyors have produced fantastic results and some surprising results. New breeding sites for nationally scarce species such as downy emerald have been located, including the exciting discovery of the mass emergence in spring 2011.'

Steve Prentice of the British Dragonfly Society, says: ‘Working with the Cotswold Water Park Trust will make a significant contribution to the new national atlas for dragonflies, ensuring that this major inland wetland is surveyed in detail to monitor the effects of increasing area of habitat creation and the impact of climate change.'

Claire Install, conservation officer at the British Dragonfly Society, said: ‘CWP is a great place to see dragonflies and damselflies. They are incredible to watch with their bright colours and aerobatic skills. By recording what they see people can contribute to something that will be useful for years to come.'

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/dragonflies-cotswolds.html