Autumn is here, but while many insects are becoming less visible, one impressive aerial hunter is still patrolling the skies. On a warm September afternoon, look out for the migrant hawker dragonfly as its darts around ponds, gardens and hedgerows, bringing flashes of blue and yellow to the changing season.
The migrant hawker is a later-flying dragonfly, usually on the wing from the end of July through to October, and sometimes into November during warm years. Early autumn is a particularly good time to look for them. The name “migrant” is well earned, as before the 1940s, the species was only a migrant visitor to the UK. However, it is now an established breeding species. The UK has resident breeding populations, but numbers are greatly boosted in late summer by arrivals from continental Europe.
The migrant hawker is often found around ponds, lakes and wetlands, but do not be surprised to see one well away from water. It is a strong flyer and can turn up along hedgerows, woodland edges, gardens and sheltered rides, hunting smaller insects on the wing. Unlike some dragonflies, the migrant hawker is not particularly aggressive towards each other and can sometimes gather in large feeding groups.
At around 6cm long, it is smaller than some other hawker dragonflies but is still an impressive sight. Males have a dark brown and black body patterned with pairs of pale blue spots and yellow flecks, along with striking blue eyes. Females are generally browner, with yellowish spots and brown eyes. One distinctive feature is a small yellow marking near the top of the abdomen, often described as being shaped like a golf tee.
