A large
(65-80mm) hawker preferring moorland and mountain
pools. Scarce in Hampshire but an occasional
visitor to the New Forest where it can be found
patrolling shallow acid ponds.
Males either
circle at chest height far from the bank or low
down close to shore, frequently investigating
nooks & crannies for any present females. Often
seen in large numbers at Priddy Mineries in
Somerset, seemingly tolerant of one another. In
the New Forest it is rare to find more than one on
a pond and are frequently driven off by any
present Emperor.
Females are very nervous
and will scout a pond from a great height, taking
up to half-an-hour before deciding to descend to
oviposit. During ovipositing they are easily
disturbed by human or any other mammal presence or
other inquisitive dragonflies. When disturbed they
either fly off completeley or stay hidden in the
reeds completly still.
Pairings can be an
aggressive affair with males even going so far as
to dunk the poor female into submission. On one
occasion at Priddy we watched as a male pursued an
uninterested female, ignoring her protests before
finally knocking her to the ground where she
remained in a state of suspended animation while
the male tried to locate her from above.
Can frequently be seen hawking rides and woodland
clearings late into the afternoon.
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