Southern Damselfly

The Southern damselfly requires areas with open vegetation and slow flowing water for breeding. In the UK, it is estimated that 25% of the global population exists but has declined by 30% since 1960 due to changes in land use. Efforts to improve habitat in certain areas such as the New Forest and Preseli Hills have been successful. The species is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. External links for more information can be found on the British Dragonfly Society website and Fauna Europaea.

Habitat

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They require areas of open vegetation, mixed with slow flowing water in which to lay their eggs. The larvae spend 2 years underwater before emerging as damselflies.

Status in the United Kingdom

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It is thought that 25% of the world population exists within the United Kingdom but it has declined by 30% since 1960 due to changes in grazing, land drainage and water abstraction. Places where they are found include the New Forest, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire, where work was being carried out in 2015 to improve habitat, work that was reported in 2020 as successful. In 2009, 500 adults were captured and released in the Venn Ottery nature reserve in Devon. This nature reserve is owned and managed by the Devon Wildlife Trust and grazing has been re-introduced there to help encourage this species which had not been recorded there since 1988.The species is protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

External links

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Southern damselfly British Dragonfly Society Website Coenagrion mercuriale in Fauna Europaea