INSECTS
Silverfish
Silverfish are primitive small to medium-sized wingless insects often covered in scales. They need high humidity to survive and can go for a year without feeding.
Dragonflies
Dragonflies were among the first winged insects to evolve over 300 million years ago.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
Usually found near ponds and lakes from May to July. Females are golden-brown, whereas males have a blue abdomen. Both sexes have very dark brown wing bases and yellow spots along the side of the body. Immature adults have similar colouration to females.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
The Southern Hawker is large, solitary, and inquisitive. It hunts along woodland paths often late into warm evenings and often away from water. This species is seen around the ponds of Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve during the summer. Breeding takes place in well-vegetated ponds. Males are dark with bright blue and green markings. Occasionally males with all-blue markings occur. Females are brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes have brown eyes and their bodies are brown with light yellow markings.
Brown Hawker
Aeshna grandis
Brown Hawkers have golden-brown wings. They are sometimes seen at Roe's Well during autumn. Males and females both have brown bodies. Males have blue dots along the side of the abdomen; females have yellow or pale blue markings.
Brown Hawker
Aeshna grandis
Brown Hawkers have golden-brown wings. They are sometimes seen at Roe's Well during autumn. Males and females both have brown bodies. Males have blue dots along the side of the abdomen; females have yellow or pale blue markings.
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
The Migrant Hawker has paired spots along the abdomen. Males are dark with blue spots and yellow specks; females are brown with yellow spots. This species can be found on hedgerows and along sheltered woodland rides often away from the water. It is often rests on vegetation.
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
The Migrant Hawker has paired spots along the abdomen. Males are dark with blue spots and yellow specks; females are brown with yellow spots. This species can be found on hedgerows and along sheltered woodland rides often away from the water. It is often rests on vegetation.
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
The Migrant Hawker has paired spots along the abdomen. Males are dark with blue spots and yellow specks; females are brown with yellow spots. This species can be found on hedgerows and along sheltered woodland rides often away from the water. It is often rests on vegetation.
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
The Migrant Hawker has paired spots along the abdomen. Males are dark with blue spots and yellow specks; females are brown with yellow spots. This species can be found on hedgerows and along sheltered woodland rides often away from the water. It is often rests on vegetation.
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
The Migrant Hawker has paired spots along the abdomen. Males are dark with blue spots and yellow specks; females are brown with yellow spots. This species can be found on hedgerows and along sheltered woodland rides often away from the water. It is often rests on vegetation.
Emperor Dragonfly
Anax imperator
The female usually has a green abdomen with a central dark line, although occasionally some appear with a blue abdomen. Males have a sky blue abdomen with a central dark line. This is one of the largest Dragonfly species in Europe, associated with well vegetated ponds and lakes.
Emperor Dragonfly
Anax imperator
The female usually has a green abdomen with a central dark line, although occasionally some appear with a blue abdomen. Males have a sky blue abdomen with a central dark line. This is one of the largest Dragonfly species in Europe, associated with well vegetated ponds and lakes.
Emperor Dragonfly
Anax imperator
The female usually has a green abdomen with a central dark line, although occasionally some appear with a blue abdomen. Males have a sky blue abdomen with a central dark line. This is one of the largest Dragonfly species in Europe, associated with well vegetated ponds and lakes.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
Usually found near ponds and lakes from May to July. Females are golden-brown, whereas males have a blue abdomen. Both sexes have very dark brown wing bases and yellow spots along the side of the body. Immature adults have similar colouration to females.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
Usually found near ponds and lakes from May to July. Females are golden-brown, whereas males have a blue abdomen. Both sexes have very dark brown wing bases and yellow spots along the side of the body. Immature adults have similar colouration to females.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
Usually found near ponds and lakes from May to July. Females are golden-brown, whereas males have a blue abdomen. Both sexes have very dark brown wing bases and yellow spots along the side of the body. Immature adults have similar colouration to females.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
Usually found near ponds and lakes from May to July. Females are golden-brown, whereas males have a blue abdomen. Both sexes have very dark brown wing bases and yellow spots along the side of the body. Immature adults have similar colouration to females.
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
Nymphs of Chasers and Skimmers can be told apart by checking the hind legs. Chasers have legs that extend beyond the tip of the abdomen, the legs of Skimmers do not.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
On the wing from May to August. Females are yellowish with two black stripes running along the body. Mature males are blue, immature males are yellow, so care has to be taken when identifying the sexes in young specimens. The larvae spend 2-3 years under water before emerging. This Dragonfly is very common at Hainault Lake.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
On the wing from May to August. Females are yellowish with two black stripes running along the body. Mature males are blue, immature males are yellow, so care has to be taken when identifying the sexes in young specimens. The larvae spend 2-3 years under water before emerging. This Dragonfly is very common at Hainault Lake.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
On the wing from May to August. Females are yellowish with two black stripes running along the body. Mature males are blue, immature males are yellow, so care has to be taken when identifying the sexes in young specimens. The larvae spend 2-3 years under water before emerging. This Dragonfly is very common at Hainault Lake.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
On the wing from May to August. Females are yellowish with two black stripes running along the body. Mature males are blue, immature males are yellow, so care has to be taken when identifying the sexes in young specimens. The larvae spend 2-3 years under water before emerging. This Dragonfly is very common at Hainault Lake.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
On the wing from May to August. Females are yellowish with two black stripes running along the body. Mature males are blue, immature males are yellow, so care has to be taken when identifying the sexes in young specimens. The larvae spend 2-3 years under water before emerging. This Dragonfly is very common at Hainault Lake.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
On the wing from May to August. Females are yellowish with two black stripes running along the body. Mature males are blue, immature males are yellow, so care has to be taken when identifying the sexes in young specimens. The larvae spend 2-3 years under water before emerging. This Dragonfly is very common at Hainault Lake.
Ruddy Darter
Sympetrum sanguineum
Common around well vegetated ponds. Males are red and have club-shaped abdomens. Females have ochre-yellow abdomens with black markings and are not club-shaped. Both sexes have black legs.
Ruddy Darter
Sympetrum sanguineum
Common around well vegetated ponds. Males are red and have club-shaped abdomens. Females have ochre-yellow abdomens with black markings and are not club-shaped. Both sexes have black legs.
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
Darters are small Dragonflies that usually rest with their wings held forward. Often seen near ponds, either on a prominent perch or on bare ground and sometimes away from water. They fly into the air to catch prey and frequently return to the same spot. Common Darters can be difficult to distinguish from Ruddy Darters, however the former has pale stripes down the legs. Males also have yellow patches on the sides of the thorax.
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
Darters are small Dragonflies that usually rest with their wings held forward. Often seen near ponds, either on a prominent perch or on bare ground and sometimes away from water. They fly into the air to catch prey and frequently return to the same spot. Common Darters can be difficult to distinguish from Ruddy Darters, however the former has pale stripes down the legs. Males also have yellow patches on the sides of the thorax.
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
Darters are small Dragonflies that usually rest with their wings held forward. Often seen near ponds, either on a prominent perch or on bare ground and sometimes away from water. They fly into the air to catch prey and frequently return to the same spot. Common Darters can be difficult to distinguish from Ruddy Darters, however the former has pale stripes down the legs. Males also have yellow patches on the sides of the thorax.
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
Darters are small Dragonflies that usually rest with their wings held forward. Often seen near ponds, either on a prominent perch or on bare ground and sometimes away from water. They fly into the air to catch prey and frequently return to the same spot. Common Darters can be difficult to distinguish from Ruddy Darters, however the former has pale stripes down the legs. Males also have yellow patches on the sides of the thorax.
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
Darters are small Dragonflies that usually rest with their wings held forward. Often seen near ponds, either on a prominent perch or on bare ground and sometimes away from water. They fly into the air to catch prey and frequently return to the same spot. Common Darters can be difficult to distinguish from Ruddy Darters, however the former has pale stripes down the legs. Males also have yellow patches on the sides of the thorax.