2025 Review
As well as keeping an eye on Somerset, I also travelled a few times to see some different species. Downy Emeralds are very rare in Somerset, so I visited a hotspot at Lower Moor Farm in the Cotswold Water Park. It was a great experience getting to know them a little better, especially as a mass emergence was taking place while I was there.
I also travelled to Worcestershire and Shropshire to see the beautiful White-faced Darter. It was a great experience to observe this tiny species.
As far as the more unusual species in Somerset:
Lesser Emperors
This species has continued to gain a strong foothold in the Avalon Marshes, particularly at RSPB Ham Wall, where it is now probably the most frequently seen species out of the Emperors and hawkers. I am sure it is also much more widely dispersed across the Somerset Levels, but has simply not yet been recorded.
Norfolk Hawkers
Numbers have remained roughly the same as the previous year, which is not surprising as their larvae tend to follow a two-year cycle. It will be interesting to see whether their numbers increase in 2026.
Willow Emerald Damselflies
This species has continued its colonisation of Somerset, being recorded at the same sites as last year and spreading significantly southwards across the county. It has now reached the Avalon Marshes, with numerous sightings around the various reserves.
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies
A new species for Somerset in 2025, recorded at a couple of locations in North Somerset, but mainly at Watercress Farm, where breeding was observed. It will be interesting to see how this species develops in Somerset.
Moorland (Common) Hawker / Black Darter
There are two locations for these species: Priddy Pools in the Mendips and Exmoor.
The main pool at Priddy dried up completely this year, resulting in no Black Darters being recorded and, I believe, only one Moorland Hawker being seen.
Exmoor, at Pinkworthy Pond, was completely different. The water level remained at its normal height throughout the summer, and hundreds of Black Darters, along with a good number of Moorland Hawkers, were present.
2024 Review
2024 has had some interesting developments in the dragonfly and damselfly world in Somerset.
Lesser Emperors
Have increased significantly on the Avalon Marshes, previous years only the odd one or two have been seen but in 2024 the numbers were well up, especially at Ham Wall, where I saw what must have been upwards of 30 individually in one day, with plenty of egg laying happening, especially in the Walton area of Ham Wall.
Norfolk Hawkers
My first knowledge of this species in Somerset was 2022, where there was one spotted on the River Parrett near Langport. Since then, they have been slowly increasing and in 2024, were spotted at multiple locations throughout the Avalon Marshes. The best place seemed to be Westhay nature reserve. My gut feel is that they would be in multiple locations throughout the Somerset Levels, just not reported elsewhere.
Scarlet Darters
Where not in Somerset currently, the first UK confirmed breeding of this species was seen at Silverlakes just outside Dorchester. This was the first official record, but it does sound like they may have been there for a few years now. My gut feels this is a species that will come to Somerset soon.
Willow Emerald Damselflies
I've heard about a few locations of Willow Emeralds being seen in North Somerset. The first record was recorded on iRecords in 2023. This species has been in the East of England for a while now and is slowly spreading westward, and so we can expect this species to expand its range in Somerset over the next few years.