Taxonomy
Aeshna mixta | Migrant Hawker | Seabhcaí an Fhómhair
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
Ireland: Least Concern
EU: Least Concern
Especially common in the south-east and is not threatened.
Species Biology
Identification
Small Hawker, 6.3cm in length.
Wingspan: 8.5cm
Body quite dark. Males have blue eyes with a greenish tinge, blue dots along abdomen and yellow stripes on thorax. Their thorax is brown and they have a blackish abdomen. The females are brown with yellow dots along the abdomen. They have brown eyes with a yellowish tinge. Both sexes have a yellow “golf tee” mark on segment 2 of the abdomen. Both have brown costa and small antehumeral stripes on the thorax.
Adult habitat & habits
Migrant Hawkers do not seem aggressive towards other individuals. Large swarms of feeding adults can be seen.
Habitat
They breed in a variety of well vegetated habitats e.g. slow-moving/still water habitats like ponds, canals, rivers, lakes. Seen hunting in grassland, reedbeds, woodland clearings and gardens. Perches quite low to the ground.
Flight period
July to November
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Irish distribution
The first record was from Wexford around 2000. Their distribution grew to coastal areas around the south east but now there are some records of inland Migrant Hawkers, and their distribution continues to spread towards the north east coast.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2023
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