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Less helpfully known as the southern migrant hawker, these are now well established in southern England. Each year I visit the same ditch to see how they are doing, and was pleased to find around 50 males this time (down from over a hundred last year though) - but only 2 females, one in tandem with a male egg-laying and one in a mating wheel. According to four other people I encountered they had seen no females at all, so I counted myself lucky - why so few, I do not know.
Also called the blue-eyed hawker, which is more descriptive.
Canvey Island, Essex
2 of over 100 seen on Canvey Island today - they have certainly come far in just a few years!
Not easy for them (or for me to photograph) in the strong breeze today. Canvey Island, Essex.
male, Essex.
Southern Migrant Hawker (Aeshna affinis) on patrol.
plenty of males evident on a warm sunny afternoon in Essex
plenty of males evident in the warm Essex sunshine, August 6th 2019
unlike other Aeshna spp, males remain attached to females after mating presumably to ensure paternity. The female of this pair is atypically coloured, being bluer than usual and consequently looking more like her mate than a female. Canvey Island, Essex. August 7th 2018.
unusually for Aeshna spp, the male remains attached to the female when she is egg laying, presumably to make sure of paternity. This female is unusually blue, resembling her mate more than a typical female. Canvey Island, Essex. August 7th 2018.
Male, Canvey Island, Essex. August 5th 2018