Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)Slide Show

As its name suggests this colourful hawker is found mainly in the southern half of the United Kingdom but not exclusively so. It emerges from mid to late July but is best seen when it is a fully mature adult, in mid to late August or early September, when they are at their most colourful. This is a particularly striking and large dragonfly and one that you are unlikely to forget.

Southern Hawkers can be seen on lakes, ponds, canals and are often seen in wooded glades far away from stillwater. They are frequent visitors to garden ponds and can be an amazing sight owing to their large size.

This hawker is most easily confused with the Common Hawker, which is not quite as common as its name suggests. The male Southern Hawker having green and blue abdominal spots, where as the Common Hawker has all blue spots, narrow antehumeral stripes & no yellow triangle on segment 2 of the abdomen.

The female Southern Hawker is generally greener in overall appearance and has brown eyes. It has green antehumeral stripes and abdominal spots. It is also more scarce than the male, so make the most of any photographic opportunities that come your way.