How To attract dragonflies in Wildlife Gardens?

An amazing fact about dragonflies is that, after spending two years or so living in the pond, and emerging as stunningly beautiful creatures, they live out their whole adult lives in a few
weeks. During this time they mate and the breeding cycle recommences. Their main needs are clean water, a variety of water plants, and preferably an absence of fish. Big ponds mean lots of dragonflies – the more mud, plants and reeds the better.

BREEDING CYCLE

Dragonflies lay their eggs on the stems of water plants. The eggs turn into larval nymphs, and stay in the water feeding on pond debris and each other. After about two years, the nymph metamorphoses into an adult dragonfly. Having climbed out of the water along the stems of marginal plants and dried off their wings, the dragonflies take to the air and appear as the pretty flying insects we are so familiar with. Sadly, poor water quality in many rivers, streams and ponds has resulted in various species being threatened.

DRAGONFLIES AND FISH 

Some adult dragonflies are able to catch small fish, but a high fish population in your pond will inevitably result in a low dragonfly population since the fish will eat the nymphs. If you want both fish and dragonflies, try putting a dam across the pond so that some part of the dragonfly population has a safe refuge.

COMMON DRAGONFLIES 

Dragonflies are divided into two groups: ‘hawkers’, which fly backwards and forwards in search of prey, and ‘darters’, which make a swift dash or dart after their prey.

STUDYING DRAGONFLIES 

A good way to study dragonflies is to pick a hot, still day in high summer, down beside a well-established pond – with a variety of refreshments, a notebook, binoculars and a good camera – and simply watch the water and wait patiently. If you want to go one step further, you can set yourself up in a hide and mount your camera on a tripod for even better results

Aeshna juncea (Common Hawker)

Widely distributed in the UK, but smaller than the Emperor, the male has blue spots on the body whereas the female is more green than blue. The adult male has a wingspan of 7.5–10 cm (3–4 in). It patrols the river bank in search of insect prey; the males sometimes cluster in large numbers.

Anax imperator (Emperor Dragonfly)

This hawker is widely distributed in the UK, but numbers are declining. It has a brilliant blue/black-banded body, black markings on the wings, huge eyes, bristly legs, and a wingspan of 10–13 cm (4–5 in). The adult can reach flying speeds of 29–32 kph (18–20 mph). It eats flying insects and lays its eggs on the lower stems of emergent plants.

Libellula quadrimaculata (Four-spotted Chaser)

Although this dragonfly is a darter, it has many hawking characteristics. The adult male has a golden-brown colour, a short body, and a wingspan of about 7.5 cm (3 in). The males will aggressively guard their own stretch of water.