Dragonflies

Joyce Goldenlily

I have been so pleased to again have a visit from a dragonfly. I usually have one or two visits every year. I wish they stayed around more but I only have fleeting visits. There are always plenty of damsel flies around but an enormous dragonfly is particularly exciting around my pond. 
I know there are lots of kinds of them but have no idea what mine are. They are huge and brown with long wings.

Sheps

@Joyce Goldenlily  Maybe a Brown Hawker

https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/brown-hawker/

Posy

Yes, apparently they are becoming much more common in this country - probably climate change. Whopping great things. We had one which seemed to be depositing eggs among my pond plants. Hope so!

Sheps

@Posy fingers crossed for you, they are amazing creatures.

Joyce Goldenlily

Lucky you! Do they stay around where they hatch? I seem to remember the one which visited earlier in the year was much bigger than the one which called in a few days ago. I assume they are two different kinds.
My childhood memories are of seeing lots of dragonflies around, have they fallen into decline or have I just not noticed them?

Posy

We see a lot of damselflies but not the dragonflies I remember from my youth. These giant ones are relatively new and we see some every year, but not lots. I don't know how far they range - they are strong fliers.

Joyce Goldenlily

I also have lots of damselflies each year which are lovely but do not have the impact of a large dragonfly zooming around, You can hear the buzz of their wings. 

raisingirl

The ones we get most here are I think 'Emperor' dragonflies. Big enough to feed a swallow for a week. They sound like a small drone flying over. They are definitely breeding in our 'pond' because we see lots every year, including in the house.

We also get broad bodied chasers, which are quite striking looking things but less noisy. And a little cardinal red one but I haven't identified those yet