Dragonfly Diaries

pmh0606617
May 17
2 min read

Updated: May 22

This year I have decided to set myself the target of trying to photograph all the species of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) recorded in Cheshire during 2025. This blog will be updated at periodic intervals with progress.

Downy Emerald

The table below lists the regularly recorded Odonata species in Cheshire; as I see each species they will be coloured red; images will appear with the relevant text below.

UPDATE

21 May - 15 species seen; 14 photographed

British name	Scientific name
Willow Emerald Damselfly	Chalcolestes viridis
Emerald Damselfly	Lestes sponsa
Banded Demoiselle	Calopteryx splendens
Beautiful Demoiselle	Calopteryx virgo
White-legged Damselfly	Platycnemis pennipes
Azure Damselfly	Coenagrion puella
Variable Damselfly	Coenagrion pulchellum
Common Blue Damselfly	Enallagma cyathigerum
Red-eyed Damselfly	Erythromma najas
Small Red-eyed Damselfly	Erythromma viridulum
Blue-tailed Damselfly	Ischnura elegans
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly	Ischnura pumilio
Large Red Damselfly	Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Southern Hawker	Aeshna cyanea
Brown Hawker	Aeshna grandis
Common Hawker	Aeshna juncea
Migrant Hawker	Aeshna mixta
Emperor Dragonfly	Anax imperator
Hairy Dragonfly	Brachytron pratense
Common Clubtail	Gomphus vulgatissimus
Downy Emerald	Cordulia aenea
White-faced Darter	Leucorrhinia dubia
Broad-bodied Chaser	Libellula depressa
Four-spotted Chaser	Libellula quadrimaculata
Black-tailed Skimmer	Orthetrum cancellatum
Black Darter	Sympetrum danae
Ruddy Darter	Sympetrum sanguineum
Common Darter*	Sympetrum striolatum*

May

My dragonfly year didn't really start until May - most of April was spent overseas, a limiting factor that would keep occurring during the year as I spend time as a Guest Lecturer with Fred Olsen Cruises.

Early spring species have been the target for May with regular visits to the River Dee looking for Common Club-tail; I made four visits in the first half of May without success (on 13; 14; 16 and 18 May), visiting Churton, Stocklach, Farndon and Alford. The visits though did produce Banded Demoiselle and Beautiful Demoiselle, plus my first Emperor of the year. Anderton Nature Park and the Dragonfly Pond, were also regular fixtures during the month and produced many of the commoner species, including Hairy Dragonfly. Visits to Delamere Forest on (on 13 and 16 May) allowed me to photograph White-faced Darter, once extinct in Cheshire, but now the subject of a successful reintroduction scheme. Another species with a restricted range in Cheshire is the Downy Emerald, which occurs in areas around the Whitegate Way and Delamere Forest. A visit to Hogshead Wood on 18 May, produced large numbers of Downy Emerald and also my first Black-tailed Skimmer of the year.

On 21 May I joined Lee Wilkinson at Shocklach church for another attempt at Common Club-tail. At last success with a male and female found hawking and resting up on hedgerows along the footpaths. Several Broad-bodied Chaser were also present and a fleeting Black-tailed Skimmer.