Pos. Emperor Dragonfly for ID help please ..

jaybie · #1 (**permalink**) 12-09-2011, 05:32 PM

The images are not the best but I hope good enough to confirm (or not) this as an Emperor Dragonfly - Anax imperator. The wing span was about 10cm and it was much bigger than the darters which were around at the same time.
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Thanks, JB

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 12-09-2011, 05:40 PM

Yes indeed. Female ovipositing.

jaybie · #3 (**permalink**) 12-09-2011, 06:10 PM

Thanks for the confirmation, this is the first time I have managed to photograph this species.

JB

RoyW · #4 (**permalink**) 12-09-2011, 06:38 PM

Out of interest, was this photo taken recently? If it was it's quite a late date for Emperors (though I can't see anything in the photo to suspect that it is actually something else).

Anyone who does see an "Emperor" at this time of year, particularly at sites in the west, should probably try and examine it closely - and it wouldn't do any harm to tryand get a photo to confirm the ID!

jaybie · #5 (**permalink**) 12-09-2011, 07:07 PM

These were taken at Cosmeston lakes near Penarth, South Wales last Saturday 10th September. There were a few Common Darters and this Emperor which stood out. There were a couple more flying about but which didn't settle any where.

JohnB

RoyW · #6 (**permalink**) 12-09-2011, 08:08 PM

That's a good late date for Emperor - not the latest that has been reported in recent years, but I've never seen one this late in the year.

The reason that I said Emperor seen at this time of year are worth checking carefully is because there is a possibility of an American species (Green Darner, Anax junius) which has been seen in both the UK and western France. It is a migratory species, and could have been carried across the Atlantic by storms like Katia.
Obviously the vast majority of Emperor type dragonflies seen in the UK at this time of year will typically be late Emperors though!