Female Southern Hawker at the Millpool

Although common throughout Europe this female Southern Hawker is the only one that I have seen in West Cornwall so far this summer,

These 110mm long Dragonfly tend to inhabit small ponds such as the Millpool between May to November,

The females like the one shown here are often inconspicuous around green waterside vegetation and in this case hard to spot while laying its eggs in damp green moss covered stones in a shaded area at the waterside,

The eggs hatch the following Spring and the nymphs will feed on aquatic insects , small tadpoles and even ambush small fish for a two to three year period prior the emerging as adults completing their  cycle