Shropshire Birder
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Shropshire
Sample menu:
Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)
Very common species breeding in a wide variety of habitats including still or slow flowing water. It has a long period on the wing, from late June to October. An unmistakable species with an overall brown appearance, two yellow stripes on the side of the thorax plus distinctively brown stained wings. The male is uniformly brown with a bright mark on S2 and small blue dots along the abdomen, the eyes are also stained blue on top. Females are similar with less blue on the body and eyes.
A teneral male showing the all brown appearance and in close up, the three dimensional structure of Dragonfly wings...
Another male showing a somewhat distorted abdomen which happens sometimes on emergence. Note the striking all brown stained wings and large blue mark on s2 and blue dots along the abdomen ....
A female in flight, showing the distinctive shape to the abdomen which gradually tapers with increasing width over segments 3 - 1 rather than being waisted as in the male.....
Another female in flight, about to lay eggs, the yellow coloured stripes on the side of the thorax are quite striking....
Busy ovipositing, yellow marks along the abdomen clearly visible ....
Another view, note the yellow brown eyes (blue flushed in the male) .....
A male resting, note the narrow waisted S2, late season wing damage also apparent....
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