A rare visitor may be soon spotted in Norfolk this spring - but blink and you might miss it. 

The Vagrant Emporer dragonfly - scientific name anax ephippiger - has been a rare visitor to Britain in recent years with only a handful of sightings since the 1990s.

But experts are predicting an influx in the coming weeks because of weather conditions in southern Europe.

First recorded in the UK in 1998, they are officially classed as 'rare migrants'.

A handful of sightings were recorded on two other occasions in recent years.

In 2011, there were 42 reports and 20 in 2013.

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Sightings in the UK are associated with strong southerly airflow and monsoon winds in North Africa, where the species is more commonly found.

They are also widely distributed across the Middle East, central and southern Asia as well as many Indian Ocean islands.

This year, high winds across much of Europe have seen colonies of the dragonflies migrating north, with sightings in northeast Spain and along the Mediterranean coast in mid-March.

By March 20 they had been seen as far north as Bordeaux in France - 500 miles away - prompting speculation from entomological experts that we may see them in the UK in the coming weeks.

They are around 60 to 70mm in length, with an overall pale brown appearance and brown eyes.

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The striking blue 'saddle' on the back is their most defining feature which is only present in the males.

In females and younger specimens, it is brownish-violet.

The Vagrant's favoured breeding habitat is small pools, ponds and marshes, making Norfolk's low-lying lands and Broads an ideal place to lay eggs. 

The insects spend long periods airborne and are strongly attracted to lights, including moth traps, when migrating at night. 

If you spot one of the distinctive dragonflies, send a photograph to ed.peters@newsquest.co.uk.