Scarce chaser dragonfly - found in the Ouse Washes.

Get close to dragonflies and damselflies at WWT Welney’s new pond

Friday, July 15, 2011
10:48 AM

WELNEY’S Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve has a new dragonfly pond area where visitors can admire the creatures.

Staff hope visitors will now be able to enjoy close encounters with the 20 species of dragonfly and damselfly that the wetlands support.

They include the rare, and aptly named scarce chaser, which is only now found in a handful of sites within East Anglia and Southern England.

This beautiful dragonfly has one of its remaining strongholds on the Ouse washes and in early summer the adults can be seen patrolling the ponds as they guard their territories.

Throughout the history of the Ouse Washes herds of cattle have grazed the wet grasslands, separated by a maze of ditches rather than more modern fences.

This newly created habitat has been designed to attract the full range of dragonfly and damselfly species that occur at Welney through the seasons.

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