Aeshna mixta - Migrant Hawker
Male
Male
Female
Close up of head
In flight
Pair in mating wheel
Exuvia (male, top view)
Description
Length: 63mm
A small Hawker, not aggressive towards other individuals and occasionally seen in large feeding swarms.
It flies late into the autumn and is likely to be the only Hawker found in November.
The costa is brown and there is a "golf-tee" shaped, yellow mark on S2.
The male looks quite dark with blue, paired spots along the abdomen.
The pale yellow ante-humerals are indistinct and short and eyes are blue.
The female is brown with similar markings to the male but the spots are smaller and often yellow, occasionally blue.
The ante-humerals are insignificant or absent and eyes are brownish.
Habitat
Breeds in standing water but may be found well away from water along hedgerows or woodland edges.
Frequently resting low in vegetation.
Status and Distribution
Common and increasing its range. Strongholds in southern England, but now reaching well into northern England and recently appeared in Ireland.
Continental migrants may boost the population in late summer.
Distribution map from the National Biodiversity Network Gateway (opens in new window).
Similar species
Similar in appearence to Common Hawker but is smaller with a brown costa.