Latest news with #BritishDragonflySociety
BBC News
5 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Rare lesser emperor dragonfly spotted in Leicestershire
Walking in nature, you might not expect to come across a sought-after that's exactly what happened to Tony Clarke, when he snapped a picture of a rare dragonfly enthusiast spotted a lesser emperor at Rutland Water Nature Reserve in Leicestershire, England on 13 first recorded sighting of a lesser emperor dragonfly was in 2003, and there have only been seven live sightings documented since then. Ian Merrill, a dragonfly recorder and member of the British Dragonfly society, said the sighting was an "unusual occurrence".He also said that the presence of the species in the UK was "linked to climate change".The lesser emperor has been regularly migrating to the UK from Europe since about to the British Dragonfly Society, most species of dragonfly are tropical and prefer warmer habitat loss and climate change are threatening many as the UK's weather is expected to get warmer because of climate change, we might see different species of animals migrating to our shores.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Rare Lesser Emperor dragonfly spotted in Rutland
A rare dragonfly has been photographed at a nature reserve in enthusiast Tony Clarke captured the image of a Lesser Emperor at Rutland Water Nature Reserve on 13 and Rutland Wildlife Trust said the only previous photo of the species in the area was taken in 2023 - of a dead specimen being eaten by a first recorded sighting of the Lesser Emperor in the county was in 2003, with only seven sightings documented to date. Ian Merrill, a dragonfly recorder for Leicestershire and Rutland and a member of the British Dragonfly Society, said the species was best described as a "generalist" due to its broad habitat species was considered to be a "rare vagrant" to the UK from Europe, but has become a regular migrant across much of the country since about has been recorded breeding in several counties, including Northamptonshire and Merrill said: "The first appearance of the Lesser Emperor in Leicestershire and Rutland in 2003 was therefore not unexpected, when a male was present at Priory Water, in Melton, between 15 and 26 July."More surprising was the appearance of another male at the same site between 1 and 7 August 2004." Subsequent sightings include males at Willesley in Ashby-de-la-Zouch (2007), Frisby Gravel Pits (2009), and Rutland Water (2012).Although the species has "consolidated its presence" in the UK, Mr Merrill said it remained an "unusual occurrence" in the county and that its presence was "inextricably linked to climate change".
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Mixed feelings as dragonfly seen in Leicestershire for first time
A dragonfly from Norfolk has been spotted in Leicestershire for the first time. Ian Merrill, the Leicestershire and Rutland dragonfly recorder, spotted the Norfolk Hawker on the Grantham Canal, close to Redmile in June, and there has since been a further two sightings of the insect in the county. Mr Merrill, from the British Dragonfly Society, described the sightings of the green-eyed insect as an "exciting find" but also a "mixed blessing" as it showed insects were spreading "rapidly" from the south due to global warming. He added the find means 31 different species of dragonfly have been spotted in the county. 'Tempered' excitement The dragonfly recorder told the BBC the insects were first seen in Northamptonshire a couple of years ago and are now known to breed there, so there was an "expectation" the insect would appear in Leicestershire."It was a fantastic and welcome surprise to actually find the first one myself as I was looking for it," he said. "The excitement's sort of tempered by the fact that they shouldn't really be here and it's because of global warming, which is obviously not a good thing."Mr Merrill described the insect as having "fantastic bottle green eyes", an orange body and a "little yellow triangle" at the base of its abdomen which can be seen when it is Norfolk Hawker is "most likely" to be seen in June and July, with dragonflies visible in the UK from the end of April to November, he added.
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Rare dragonflies spotted as RSPB Campfield Marsh awarded title
A nature reserve has been named as the UK's newest dragonfly hotspot as two rare species have been spotted at the white-faced darter, a rare dragonfly, was introduced to RSPB Campfield Marsh in Wigton in April and it is hoped there will be breeding pairs in British Dragonfly Society designated it to become the 12th hotspot in the UK, saying it had "amazing habitat management" with deep bog pools which "should provide the perfect conditions for the species to thrive".RSPB Cumbria Coast reserve warden, Dan Cropper, who recorded two male white-faced darter at the site recently, said the recognition was a "testament to the health of our peat bogs". The white-faced darter, named for its distinctive chalk-white profile, has seen its numbers severely decline in England where it only exists in a handful of Cropper said he had recently recorded seeing two males on site but no females yet. "It would be amazing to see female dragonflies dipping their tails into the water and releasing their eggs."This would mean that our site could be a provider to save the species."Dragonfly hotspots are chosen because they are "fantastic places" for the insects to thrive and are easily accessible, according to the society. Conservation officer for the British Dragonfly Society, Eleanor Colver, said the white-faced darter was "vulnerable to extinction"."Thanks to the amazing habitat management work of the RSPB, the peat wetland at Campfield Marsh, with its deep bog pools, should provide the perfect conditions for the species to thrive," she added. LISTEN: Meet the rare White-faced Darter dragonfly Mr Cropper said: "Cumbria is an English stronghold for the white-faced darter and we're really lucky to have the dragonfly here." He added Campfield Marsh was a "nice mosaic of different habitats - salt marsh, wet grassland and peat bogs - which provides different habitats for our 13 species of dragonfly". "The dragonfly hotspot title demonstrates the importance of the site and will hopefully engage people to come and take interest in the insects. "We are tucked away up here so it's important for the site to have recognition," he event to celebrate the title will be held at the site on 5 July which will include guided dragonfly walks and pond dipping. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Endangered dragonfly reintroduced to Cumbrian peatland after almost vanishing in England
Once prevalent in peat bogs across Britain, the distinctive white-faced darter dragonfly's known population in England had until recently been diminished to just five isolated patches of surviving habitat. But despite the existential threats of both climate change and the degradation of Britain's peatlands, new populations of the insect species are now thriving thanks to major efforts to reintroduce them to habitats both old and new. One such effort is underway in Cumbria, as a team of conservationists transported buckets of sphagnum moss containing dragonfly larvae to a new site at RSPB Campfield Marsh, a nature reserve on the shores of the Solway Firth. The relocation follows years of efforts by conservationists to create the exact balance of habitat conditions at Campfield Marsh in which white-faced darters – which breed in lowland acidic pools containing sphagnum moss – can hopefully thrive. Following Tuesday's operation, a further reintroduction of larvae and eggs is due to take place in August, and are expected to continue for up to five years to ensure a stable population is established. It is hoped that visitors to Campfield Marsh may be able to spot the white-faced darter as early as May 2026. 'This is an exciting opportunity to boost biodiversity in this beautiful and hidden corner of Cumbria, helping to create a new population of this charming but endangered species,' said Mhairi Maclauchlan, RSPB Cumbria's coastal reserves manager. 'It's incredibly rewarding to know we have created the right conditions for white-faced darter, and we're delighted to carry on the legacy and successes of the other projects in Cumbria.' While white-faced darter are still prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, they are classified as endangered on the British Odonata Red List. Eleanor Colver, the British Dragonfly Society's conservation officer, told The Independent: 'The main cause of the species' historic decline in England has been habitat loss and degradation as a result of the drainage of their peatland sites to make the land suitable for agriculture and forestry.' The last-known healthy breeding population in Cumbria was found on a private site of special scientific interest near Carlisle, which was previously chosen as a donor site from which larvae could be used to reintroduce new populations at two Wildlife Trust sites – Foulshaw Moss, from 2010 to 2015, and Drumburgh Moss, from 2019 to 2024. Both populations are now said to be thriving, and the same donor population is now being used at Campfield Marsh. Ms Colver said: 'One of the main threats to the species now is climate change; rising annual temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events can alter the water levels and vegetation structure of peatbogs, making them unsuitable for white-faced darter. 'For example, the species is associated with bog moss Sphagnum cuspidatum, which it lays its eggs in, and is where larvae live within breeding pools; the bog moss can not survive desiccation during drought conditions.' Both Campfield Marsh and Drumburgh Moss, which is also located on the Solway coast, were selected as introduction sites because the area has a cooler and wetter climate than at some of the species historic breeding sites, such as Thursley Common in Surrey, where the species has gone extinct, said Ms Colver. 'Campfield Marshes contains a healthy peatbog, with numerous pools which, it is hoped, will provide suitable breeding conditions for their new White-faced Darter residences for many years to come,' she added.
