100 years of Dutch dragonfly research

The availability of opportunistic dragonfly data in the Netherlands spanning >100 years gave us the opportunity to quantitatively assess long term changes in range size. We estimated changes in the number of occupied 5 km × 5 km sites by applying a modified List Length method, which takes into account changes in observation effort. Trends […]

Odonata wing vein preferences in haemolymph sucking Forcipomyia paludis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae; Odonata)

In summer 2020, the Odonata fauna in the Weerribben-Wieden National Park was examined at various localities for the Odonata parasite Forcipomyia paludis NatureToday. This park is currently one of the localities in the Netherlands where the species is found every year. Five localities in the area have been studied and many of the Odonata species […]

Dragonflies in 2019 in the Netherlands

2019 was a very special year for Anax ephippiger. They were found in various places in 2018, particularly along the coast. Not only in large numbers to the Netherlands, but have also reproduced en masse. Thousands of larval skins have been found. Leucorrhinia caudalis has settled in the Weerribben-Wieden National Park after a long period […]

The return of the Whitefaces in the Netherlands

Two years ago, Leucorrhinia albifrons was considered extinct in the Netherlands, and the same was true for Leucorrhinia caudalis a little earlier. Both species are now back and we have a total of five species of Whitefaces in the Netherlands. In 2009 a new species came to the Netherlands: Leucorrhinia caudalis. The species was found […]

Larval skins of Vagrant emperor (Anax epipphiger)

A lot has been published in recent weeks about the Vagrant emperor (Anax epipphiger). Reproduction of the species is new to the Netherlands. Today I photographed the Anax larval skins, which I collected in the Millingerwaard on 27-8. All this together with the Blue emperor (Anax imperator) shows the difference in the prementum.

A lot of fresh Vagrant emperor (Anax ephippiger)

Emerging Vagrant emperor (Anax ephippiger) in the NL The Vagrant emperor (Anax ephippiger) is a relative newcomer and was first seen in the Netherlands in 1995. In recent years they reproduce more often in southern Europe in summer and since then they have appeared in the Netherlands. Anax ephippiger were seen in almost all of […]