My Favourite ImageSouthern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)

This hawker is about the most colourful of the UK dragonflies. Its stunning colours extending from the head right to the tip of its abdomen.

This hawker is a large dragonfly, the male is readily identlified by the wide antehumeral stripes on the top of thorax and the green and blue spots on its abdomen. The female Southern Hawker is of an overall greener appearance.

At times this can be

a photogenic subject particularly later on in the season, when it is fully mature and is at its most colourful.

This hawker tends to perch quite readily on fairly accessible low lying vegegtation. It is prone to return to the same location on a frequent basis and is therefore relatively approachable, waiting for its re-appearance can be profitable.