Day 33 - Beautiful Broad Bodied Chasers

Hi all today's Day 33 but before I get onto today's subject I want to tell you that I have now achieved 2,500 page views! Thanks to all of you that are reading my blog daily and even if you are just tuning in once in a while it still helps! Anyway keeping with the dragonfly spirit (if you're wondering why check out my Southern Hawker post) I have some Broad Bodied Chasers. Now here are the pics, taken with an iphone as we didn't expect to come across them, and of course the facts:

• The are quite large dragonflies their length being 39-48mm

Broad Bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)

• The very broad, flattened abdomen is characteristic making the insect appear "fat" which is probably why they have the name 'Broad Bodied' Chaser. 

• Both genders have pale blue, thin stripes and brown eyes. The wing bases are very dark brown. 

• The males quickly develop a blue spotted appearance on the abdomen with yellow spots along the segment sides. 

• Females are a golden brown on the lower-stomach, again with yellow spots on the edges of the insects. 

Broad Bodied Chaser just landing

• The Broad Bodied Chaser has another name of the Broad Bodied Darter so if you come across any research talking about the Broad Bodied Darter then they are talking about the Broad Bodied Chaser and vice-versa. 

• The broad-bodied chaser is a medium-sized, broad-bodied dragonfly which is found from the end of May to August. It is a common dragonfly of ponds and small lakes. 

• It regularly returns to the same place after swift flights out across the water looking for insects which is the same as the Southern Hawker which I mentioned in Day 32's post. 

• Mating occurs on the wing, often taking less than a minute, after which the female will find a suitable spot to lay her eggs where she hovers over the water, dipping tip of her abdomen in and dropping her eggs on to vegetation below the surface.

Here are some links to some more information:

Kent Wildlife Trust - Broad Bodied Chaser

British Dragonflies - Broad Bodied Chaser

Hope you enjoyed,

Z.