Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)

Dragonflies are so exciting! The hawker family especially so as they are so colourful and quite large and imposing. They are also quite inquisitive and you just can't ignore one; in my view, you just have to look and marvel.

There are three 'common' hawkers in Dorset, the southern, the migrant and the common. The sexes of each differ too so there are six subtle differences to get to know.

This species, seen frequently in our garden and often encountered elsewhere, is a female southern hawker, possibly the most widespread of the three down here. The give away are the two yellow patches on the first segment behind the head.

The southern hawker is a strong flier and can be encountered almost anywhere, in all sorts of weather, and any time from June through to October.