Dragonfly chasing

Got a pond? Why not hang around to spot broad-bodied chasers...

Spring most definitely arrived in April this year and there are few nicer things to do than while away an afternoon alongside a pond. I don't know about you but I find there's something very relaxing about sitting by water. Perhaps you've got a pond in your garden or there's a waterbody nearby that you can relax next to? If you're visited by dragons while you're sitting there, so much the better!

Dragonflies have a long lineage, with fossils indicating their presence as long ago as 250million years! The largest in the fossil record was about the size of a sparrowhawk but today’s UK dragons top the charts with just a 10cm wingspan. And, as April turns to May, you’re bound to bump into a broad-bodied chaser or two.

A female broad-bodied chaser perched on a twig - she's got four outstretched wings with dark marks at the bottom of them and her body is golden yellow

These stocky dragonflies have broad, flattened abdomens and each of the lattice-like four wings has a dark patch at the base where they meet the body. Females are a bright golden yellow and the males, although they’re yellow when they emerge (like in the photo at the top of the blog), turn a dusty pale blue with two pairs of yellow spots on the side. The blue is actually made up of tiny particles of fat that are arranged on the body like roof tiles; over time this blue colour rubs off and reveals more of the yellow underneath. Once you’ve spotted both males and females, keep a look out for their different behaviour – females will stroke the water with their tail in order to lay eggs whilst a male may hover nearby to guard her from other males.

Broad-bodied chaser resting on a stem by Mike Averill

If you've got a pond in your garden or nearby, these are one species to look out for as broad-bodied chasers are often one of the first dragonflies to colonise newly dug ponds. These pioneers of new habitats can complete the full lifecycle within twelve months (it takes some species three years or more) and the larvae, which normally live partially buried in silt at the bottom of the waterbody, can even tolerate some drying out of the pond.

Broad-bodied chaser dragonfly recently emerged and hanging on its nymphal case

If you're a keen photographer, or even just a keen watcher, you'd benefit from sinking a stick or two around the edges of your pond or positioning yourself near to a natural perch. Broad-bodied chasers are creatures of habitat and will often return to the same perch when they're hunting. Nymphs need something to clamber up as they leave the water to break out into their adult form so a perch, natural or otherwise, will give them a helping hand too,

We need your help to understand more about how broad-bodied chasers are doing across Worcestershire. Are they more or less common than we think? We know that they favour ponds and small lakes but we’d love to know more about where they’re being spotted and where they're breeding. By completing our short Wildlife Sightings form with information about where and when you saw a broad-bodied chaser and sending us a picture (a quick snapshot will do), you’ll help us to know more about these magnificent flying hunters. Are garden ponds even more important for dragons than we thought?