Orkney Odometer

Within the Orkney archipelago, there are just 8 resident breeding species of Odonata, of which 4 are dragonflies and 4 are damselflies.

If you want to see all 8 species on the wing, you will need to travel to the island of Hoy during the Summer, but some of the other islands support small colonies, particularly of the damselfly species.

Dragonflies:

• Common Hawker, Aeshna juncea;
• Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Cordulegaster boltonii;
• Four-spotted Chaser, Libellula quadrimaculata;
• Black Darter, Sympetrum danae.

Damselflies:

• Emerald Damselfly, Lestes sponsa;
• Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula;
• Common Blue Damselfly, Enallagma cyatherigum;
• Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans.

In the future (preferably Summer 2014!), I am looking forward to populating this page with some photographs of the species to be seen within Orkney.