New species of damselfly arrives in Wales
Small red-eyed damselflies have been recorded on the reserve here at WWT Llanelli, and according to the British Dragonfly Society, they are the first recorded anywhere in Wales!
The damselflies first arrived in the UK from the continent in 1999, and have since slowly been spreading northwards and westwards, however, their progress in recent years has slowed. This exciting discovery shows that their range expansion is continuing, and adds another species to the Welsh total, believed to be 36 species of dragonfly and damselfly (British Dragonfly Society 2012).
The best place to see the damselflies from is the Peter Scott Hide, where over 50 have been seen, including a pair ovipositing, suggesting they might be settling in and breeding on the reserve.
It is still a mystery why the damselflies have shown up here, as previously the closest record was in Bristol. Adrian Parr of the BDS Migrant Dragonfly Project said “Despite the numbers seen, it's just possible that the damselflies are recent arrivals - the species does seem to be able to travel in groups, which is perhaps why it's been such a successful colonist”.
