Dragonflies can be seen on warm still days flying around at high speed catching insects in mid air.

Physical description
Dragonflies have long thin bodies, four large wings that are held out to the sides and two large compound eyes. Antennae are very short. Southern hawkers have black bodies spotted with green, males also have some blue spots near end of their abdomen.

Distribution
Widespread throughout Europe.

Habitat
During the breeding season these dragonflies are found near ponds and rivers. At other times they are found in woodland clearings, near houses and in gardens.

The larvae live in still or slow-moving water.

Diet
Larvae eat aquatic insects, tadpoles and small fish. Adults eat airborne insects.

Behaviour
Adults can be seen on warm, still days flying around at high speed catching insects in mid-air. Insects are caught with their strong legs and are often eaten on the wing. They detect their prey using their large eyes which allow them to see in most directions at once.

Larvae are aquatic and catch their prey by ambush. They can only see a short distance but they are very sensitive to movement. On the underside of their heads they have a hinged jaw called a mask that can be flicked out to catch a passing insect or fish. The larvae have gills and so do not need to surface for air.

Larvae spend about 1-3 years underwater, emerging at night in periods of warm still weather between July and August. The larva finds the stem of a nearby plant and attaches itself with its hooked feet. The following day, the back of the larva's thorax splits and the dragonfly begins to push itself out of the old skin. The dragonfly will then hang backwards out of its old skin with the tip of its abdomen still inside to allow its legs to harden up before it can use them. When the legs have hardened the dragonfly flips itself upright and pulls its abdomen out of the old skin. It will sit in this position for an hour or two while the abdomen fully extends and the wings become hardened.

During this time the insect will allow liquids to drip from the end of the abdomen - this dries the insect so that it is lighter and ready for flight. When the wings have hardened, the dragonfly will begin to flap them. This helps to warm the muscles for flight. When it is ready the insect will climb to a higher point on the reed, flap its wings and take off. It will then fly to a nearby tree to continue the hardening of its new skin. After a couple of days the dragonfly will have developed its mature colouring as most species are green to begin with.

Reproduction
Southern hawkers breed in late summer. When a male has found a mate he will hook a pair of claspers at the tip of his abdomen onto the back of her head during flight. The female curves her abdomen around under the male so that pair form rough wheel. They remain in this position from two minutes to one hour, typically 20 minutes.

The male spends part of this time clearing out any previous suitor's sperm left in the female's reproductive tract using an extensible to scrape out sperm. To ensure his own sperm is not removed, the shrewd male guards his mate while she lays eggs. The male may remain attached to female or fly protectively above her.

The female dragonflies saw holes into plant tissue or rotting logs, usually under or near water, and insert eggs into the hole. Occasionally these dragonflies will choose inappropriate sites to lay their eggs. Some have been observed to lay eggs in shoes or clothing. The eggs will hatch out in the following spring.

Conservation status
They are not listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Notes
Aeshna means 'ugly or misshapen'. Cyanea means 'dark blue'. There are many similar species of the Genus Aeshna, found in the British Isles.