Dragonfly Week

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, 19 July 2017
Dragonfly Week
Brilliant emerald dragonfly / Dave Sadler

By Charlotte Owen

WildCall Officer

Dragonflies: as they dart and glide across the summer skies with a bright flash of iridescent colour and a whirr of wings, it’s easy to see how these voracious aerial predators earned their name. They can fly further, higher and faster than any other insect, and their wings are a marvel of natural engineering. Each one can be operated independently and this provides such exquisite control that a dragonfly can dart off in any direction - even in reverse - and make rapid alterations to its flight path as it chases down its prey. At top speed, some species can reach 30 miles an hour and accelerate with such power that they experience the same kind of G-force as a jet fighter pilot.

Dragonflies are also among the most ancient of creatures. Their ancestors first took flight more than 300 million years ago and the fossil record shows that some reached truly gigantic proportions, with wingspans of up to 70 cm, making them the largest insects that ever lived.Modern-day dragons may be significantly smaller but they are just as magical, and Sussex is a particular hotspot. Hawkers, darters, chasers, skimmers and emeralds can all be found here, and wherever there is water, there will be dragons.They spend the first few years of their lives as aquatic larvae, known as nymphs, and adults must return to the water to breed, although some stray further to patrol woodland rides and heathland pools.

Now is the perfect time to track them down. Dragonfly Week (15th to 23rd July) has begun and the British Dragonfly Society is seeking enthusiasts to take part in a nationwide citizen science project to help monitor these fantastic beasts. No expert knowledge is required – simply arm yourself with a free spotter’s sheet (via www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/node/7284) and perhaps a pair of binoculars, and head out to your garden pond, a nearby riverbank or your favourite wetland nature reserve to note down what you see. For help with ID, feel free to contact me at WildCall on 01273 494777 or email [email protected] - happy hunting!

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