Broad-bodied Chaser

Following on the success of last year’s Banded Demoiselle survey, the British Dragonfly Society asked everyone to send in their records of a fascinating dragonfly: the Broad-bodied Chaser (Latin Name: Libellula depressa)

Have you seen the Broad-bodied Chaser?

Male Broad-bodied Chaser © BDS/ I. Hulme

This year the Broad-bodied Chaser survey has received almost 700 records. A BIG THANK YOU to all those who have contributed to the success of this survey. Your records help to provide a clearer idea of the current state of this attractive dragonfly.

See a summary of the records received for the 2007 Broad-bodied Chaser survey.

Following on from last years Banded Demoiselle survey, this year’s online Broad-bodied Chaser survey has been a great success. The records submitted for the survey will provide valuable information on the current status of the Broad-bodied Chaser, showing its occurrence throughout much of England and southern Wales and confirming its continuing expansion into northern England. Following Flytech’s offer of a free remote controlled dragonfly, the survey has also helped encourage the recording of dragonflies by children as well as their parents!

Graham French, British Dragonfly Society

The British Dragonfly Society is receiving fewer and fewer records of dragonflies and damselflies. The map to the right shows all British records of the Broad-bodied Chaser received to date (by the BDS sub-group dealing with records: the ‘Dragonfly Recording Network’).

There is a significant drop in the records received from the year 2000 onwards. We suspect that this is due to fewer people sending their records in, rather than a decline in species numbers, but to be sure we enlisted your help! We have had a great response to recording the Broad-bodied Chaser and are planning a different survey in 2008 but you can continue to use this website to find out more about the fascinating Broad-bodied Chaser!