I have been analysing the dragonflies of Iberia using the new European Atlas. You can find the page under Dragonflies of Iberia - Where are we now?
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I was at a BDS meeting last week and Adrian Parr suggested that what we are missing in the dragonfly world is a "Why" Group. Most dragonfly work is centred upon "Where" but in some cases the bigger question is Why.
Grasping the idea, I have put a "Why" page on the site. Hopefully it will stimulate some discussion  John Luck and I have just finished at paper for the BDS Journal on Lestids in the Weald. One of the species is Lestes dryas and its recent find in the High Weald. The map above is taken from Ordnance Survey Explorer 125. Look carefully and you will see a landscape peppered with ponds. Be they marl pits or whatever purpose they could all be habitat for Lestes dryas; the problem is that we don't know because most are on private farmland.
This is a great opportunity. Take a leaf out of John Luck's book.He searched his map, located the ponds and their farms and then guess what, he went and knocked on the farmer's door and asked permission. It worked, the farmer was very cooperative and John visited his ponds. On two of those ponds Lestes dryas was found. These ponds could be its most important habitat in the Weald. The answer depends on you. It would be great to have a WEDG meeting this autumn reviewing all your finds. Good hunting |
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