by Paul Richards
The Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) was first recorded in Yorkshire in 1971, finally reaching the Sorby area by 1983. It now occurs widely to the east of Sheffield, and last year it was one of the most frequently-encountered species in the late summer. Hopefully the poor early summer won't have restricted this species on its spread towards civilisation (!?), and a good recording effort could see a marked expansion for this previously rare species. With experience it can be quite easy to recognise. Of the large, typical hawker dragonflies, this is the smallest. It can often be seen flying quite high up away from water among trees, and from below appears to have a pair of particularly long claspers sticking out at the end of the abdomen. Males may also be observed searching out females in the emergent vegetation of slow-flowing or still water bodies. At rest they are distinguished easily by a number of characteristics. They have brown bodies, with yellow/green spots along the abdomen in females, and blue spots on the male. Immature or cool males are very often lilac-spotted and unlike any other species. Most distinctive is the broad yellow triangle on the second abdominal segment, just behind the hind wings, in combination with the very reduced yellow stripes at the front of the thorax, just behind the eyes. It's easier than it sounds! Records to the City Museum please.