Common Hawker Aeshna juncea
 This extremely rare visitor to the county is a large dragonfly. It is similar to both Southern and Migrant Hawkers (which are both widespread in the county) so great care should be taken with identification, if you are lucky enough to find one.
The yellow costa (leading edge to forewing) is diagnostic but difficult to see. Males are blackish with small blue spots and yellow stripes on the side of the thorax. Females are brown with yellow spots. It is most likely to be confused with Migrant Hawker, but it is slightly larger, has a black thorax from above, and lacks the yellow triangle on segment 2. Also superficially similar to Southern Hawker, which has mainly green spots and green thorax sides.
Status of Common Hawker in Leicestershire & Rutland
Number of occupied 2km grid squares in Leicestershire & Rutland, up to the end of 2004: 15/720
Due to the very close similarity of this species to both the Southern and Migrant Hawkers the current and historic distribution of this species in VC 55 remains somewhat uncertain, as many recorded occurrences seem likely to involve mistaken identity; the only two records on the LRDG database supported by conclusive descriptions/photographs are one at Saltersford Valley, Oakthrope, on 17th August 2001, and a female at New Lount in August 2007. Historic records paint a similarly clouded picture, with Longfield (1949) describing it as ‘uncommon’.
|
|
Distribution Map
Common Hawker 2004 |
|
Common Hawker Habitat
Nationally the Common Hawker is found on acidic heathlands, a habitat almost entirely absent from VC 55, and it would therefore be expected to occur here only as a rare wanderer. The closest breeding sites to VC 55 lie in the Derbyshire Peak District, some 50 km to the north west of the Leicestershire boundary.
Flight period of Common Hawker
Common Hawker Photo Gallery
|
