Male Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea). Taken at Otmoor, Oxon on August 29th 2011. Approx 2x lifesize.
Male. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon on August 29th 2011. Click image for larger version.
(1/60th sec at F14. Approx 1.1x life size.)
Immature male Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea). Taken at Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon, on August 12th 2011. Approx 2x lifesize.
Immature male. Taken at Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon, on August 12th 2011. Click image for larger version.
(1/80th sec at F13. Approx 1.1x life size.)
Male in flight. Taken at Bernwood Forest, Bucks on July 24th 2010.
(1/320th sec at F5.6. Approx 1.25x life size.)
Female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea). Otmoor, Oxon on September 16th 2007. Approx 2x lifesize.
Female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon on September 16th 2007. Click image for larger version.
(Approx 1.1x life size.)
Female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea). Otmoor, Oxon on October 2nd 2011. Approx 2x lifesize.
Female side view. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon on October 2nd 2011. Click image for larger version.
(1/80th sec at F16. Approx 1.1x life size.)
© David Hastings
Description
Wingspan: 86-106mm; Body length: 67-76mm
A large, inquisitive Hawker usually seen individually. The spots on segments 8-10 are joined, unlike
other Hawkers. The ante-humeral stripes are broad and strongly coloured. The costa is dark and there
is an elongated triangular mark on S2. The male has a pronounced 'waist' between S3 and S4, which is missing
in the female.
The male is brightly marked on a dark background, usually apple
green except for S8-10, which are pale blue. Occasionally, all pale blue marked individuals are seen.
The female is brown with bright green markings. Immatures of both sexes are brown with pale yellow markings, and brown eyes.
The Southern Hawker's breeding habitat of small stagnant pools is favoured by few other dragonflies. It
often feeds along woodland rides and clearings. it is most often seen in July and August, but can persist
well into the autumn.
Sightings
| 25-Oct-2011 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon (1m) |
| 02-Oct-2011 | : | Otmoor, Oxon (2m, 1f) |
| 04-Sep-2011 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon (1m) |
| 29-Aug-2011 | : | Otmoor, Oxon (8m, 1f) |
| 12-Aug-2011 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (2m) |
|
| 24-Oct-2010 | : | Abingdon, Oxon |
| 18-Sep-2010 | : | Parsonage Moor, Oxon |
| 18-Sep-2010 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon |
| 22-Aug-2010 | : | Tophill Low, East Yorks |
| 15-Aug-2010 | : | Otmoor, Oxon |
| 24-Jul-2010 | : | Bernwood Forest, Bucks |
| 24-Jul-2010 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon |
| 19-Jul-2010 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon |
| 11-Jul-2010 | : | Bernwood Forest, Bucks |
|
| 29-Aug-2009 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon |
| 22-Aug-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon |
| 16-Aug-2009 | : | Pinkhill, Oxon |
| 25-Jul-2009 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon |
