Dragonflies & Damselflies

Dragonflies & Damselflies

Emerging Four Spotted Chaser (G Harris 2006)

The Cotswold Water Park supports a diverse range of Dragonfly and Damselfly species, reflecting the variety of wetland habitats found here. To date more than 20 species have been recorded, ranging from the Common Blue Damselfly found in swarms of several thousand, to the Lesser Emperor Dragonfly (single males recorded in 2005 and 2006).


Key Facts

    Our dragonflies reflect our habitats

    Azure Damselfly (G Harris 2006)

  • Large numbers of Banded Demoiselles may be seen fluttering along many sections of the River Thames, demonstrating the high water quality and excellent habitat.
  • Many of the deeper lakes support vast swarms of several thousand Common Blue Damselflies, a species suited to deep water habitats.
  • The warm shallow waters of lake margins and recent mineral workings can support huge swarms of Black-Tailed Skimmers and Blue-Tailed Damselflies.
  • The rare, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, has been recorded in some mineral working in the Cotswold Water Park, utilising the warm, shallow pools in the earliest stages of vegetation succession seen in active mineral workings. These sites can be very dangerous so please do not access these areas.
  • The diverse wetlands of Swillbrook Lakes support a superb dragonfly assemblage of 16 breeding species, a result of the variety of water depths and pool sizes seen here.


Latest News!!!!! Dragonfly Atlas Project 2008-2012

The Cotswold Water Park Dragonfly Atlas Project 2008-2012 is being launched in Spring 2008 to survey, record and map the distribution of dragonflies and damselflies across the CWP. For more information see http://www.waterpark.org/society/dragonfly_atlas.html.


The Cotswold Water Park Dragonfly List

20 species have been recorded in the CWP since 2000:

  • Banded Demoiselle
  • Emerald Damselfly
  • Large Red Damselfly
  • Azure Damselfly
  • Common Blue Damselfly
  • Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
  • Blue-tailed Damselfly
  • Red-eyed Damselfly
  • White-legged Damselfly
  • Migrant Hawker
  • Southern Hawker
  • Brown Hawker
  • Emperor
  • Lesser Emperor
  • Downy Emerald
  • Four-spotted Chaser
  • Broad-bodied Chaser
  • Black-tailed Skimmer
  • Common Darter
  • Ruddy Darter

Prior to 2000, the Beautiful Demoiselle, Small Red Damselfly and Club-Tailed Dragonfly were also recorded but these have not been recorded in recent years.

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