Late Summer Hawkers.

A beautiful morning in Walters Copse at Newtown today as we enjoy a few days of sunny and warm weather.Southern Hawkers seemed to be in all the woodland rides although at least two Migrant Hawkers were spotted.The latter is a non-aggressive dragonfly and these two species tolerate one another when hunting for prey.
The male Southern is a colourful but somewhat gaudy dragonfly whereas the female is a wonderful apple-green and brown.The Migrant Hawker is slightly smaller than the Southern and definitely not as brightly coloured,the male showing mainly blue and brown. 

Woodland Hawkers.

At this time of the year the long summer days
provide a bounty of flying insects in our woodlands and meadows.Along  the sunny rides and clearings our dragonflies and in particular the hawkers find an abundant supply of prey.

Two species seem to be most noticeable in my local copse at present,the Emperor and the Southern Hawker.Whereas most seem to be still immature,as so this female opposite,it was a treat to come across a more mature female (pictured below).

Hunting Hawkers.

On a walk through the wood today I came across two hawkers on the lookout for a meal.The first an immature female Southern Hawker and secondly an adult male Emperor Dragonfly.

September Dragons.

Perhaps the species most likely to be encountered at this time of year are the Southern Hawker and the Migrant Hawker.Yesterday in  Walters Copse I came across this immature male Southern Hawker as it took time off hunting to rest up in the shade.

Not too far away at my local pond there was great activity among the male Migrant Hawkers as they busily patrolled over the reeds.The females were also to be seen ovipositing in the reeds around the pond.

Hawking Hawkers.

Up to six Southern Hawkers this morning at Walters Copse,Newtown,all along the woodland paths.As well as several immature males and females there was also a colourful mature male.

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A Southern Belle.

The Southern Hawker must be one of the most colourful of our true dragonflies in the UK.The male in particular, whereas the female is a beautiful apple-green with brown trimmings and has big blue eyes.

This female was seen today in Walters Copse,Newtown,along a sunny ride where she was hunting.

More Dragonflies at Walters Copse.

Following the recent sight of two Golden-ringed dragonflies in the copse, today's summer weather brought out other dragonflies to hunt along the woodland rides.

Almost at once I came across an immature Southern Hawker which landed in front of me.This is my first sighting of this species of the season.A bit later a male Emperor was spotted sunning itself on a bramble bush.It was not long before it took off to patrol the ride.

There were also a few darters here and there which all seemed to be Ruddy Darters.

Finding a Shady Place to Eat Lunch.

At Walters Copse,Newtown today it was another hot day and the sight of two Golden-ringed dragonflies hunting along a leafy ride was a pleasure to see.Continually quartering and putting on a burst of speed now and again it was not long before a meal was caught.The Meadow Brown butterflies were easy prey and when consumed the wings were discarded.The prey was often taken to a shady spot underneath a leaf as seen in the following photos.

Striking Gold

It is an exhilarating sight to see a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly defending its territory against all-comers, as well as observing a female Golden-ringed majestically cruising along a stream looking out for a spot to lay her eggs.

We are very fortunate on the Island to boast this species as it is an impressive and colourful dragonfly.This immature female was spotted in Walters Copse during July which is when most will be seen.The eyes are still grey but will turn bright green as an adult.
The Golden-ringed has an unique method of ovipositing.The female will hover vertically over a suitable area of stream and insert its abdomen several times into the stream-bed,pogo-stick fashion.When hatched the larva will live partially buried at the bottom of the watercourse feeding, for up to five years before emerging as an adult.