Norfolk hawker
Norfolk hawker Aeshna isoceles
The Norfolk Hawker (Anaciaeschna isoceles) is one of Britain’s rarest and most range-restricted dragonflies, with a UK stronghold in the Norfolk Broads. The species also occurs along the Waveney Valley and the northern fringes of Suffolk, where the grazing marsh ditches and clear, slow waterways it requires extend southwards. It has a distinctive, clear-winged appearance and vivid yellow-green eyes. Highly sensitive to water quality, it is closely associated with water-soldier (Stratiotes aloides) as aquatic larval habitat.
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Guidance on identification and recording can be found on the British Dragonfly Society website, and our own Species Identification Guides page is well worth a look. The Suffolk Local Dragonfly Group has collected thousands of records for a completely new issue of Suffolk Dragonflies (sample below).
Major Publications
- Suffolk Dragonflies. Mason & Parr (2016, SNS)
- Suffolk Dragonflies – An Atlas and History. Mendel (1992, SNS)
- The Dragonflies of Suffolk. C. Morley (1929) vol. 1
Papers from Suffolk Natural History
- Odonata recording in Suffolk during 2011. A. Parr (2012) vol. 48
- Suffolk Dragonflies 2005. K. Morris (2006) vol. 42
- Occurrence of the Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum) in West Suffolk during 2002. D.K. Underwood (2003) vol. 39
- The discovery and observations of the Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum) at a Suffolk site in 2001. N. Sherman (2002) vol. 38
- The Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) on the River Stour. S. Goddard (2001) vol. 37
- Invasion of Dragonflies in 1995. H. Mendel & M.G. Marsh (1996) vol. 32
- Suffolk dragonflies. H. Mendel (1988) vol. 24
- Hobby taking Migrant Hawker Dragonflies. S.H. Piotrowski (1988) vol. 24
- Suffolk dragonfly survey. P.A. Belden (1983) vol. 19
- The Emperor Dragonfly, Anax imperator. S. Beaufoy (1978) vol. 17
- Suffolk Dragonflies. S. Beaufoy (1973) vol. 16
- Emperor Dragonfly. S. Beaufoy (1957) vol. 10