New species delight visitors at WWT’s first Dragonfly Festival - Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

WWT Slimbridge recorded its first ever breeding pair of willow emerald damselfly; with a southern migrant hawker dragonfly spotted at WWT Welney and WWT London for the first time – adding a total of 35 new species to our reserves.

This summer has seen a surge in dragonfly and damselfly activity across WWT wetland centres, delighting visitors at our first ever Dragonfly Festival.

Both WWT Welney and WWT London saw a first visit from the southern migrant hawker dragonfly, with WWT Slimbridge recording its first-ever breeding pair of willow emerald damselfly.

Meanwhile, WWT Llanelli welcomed its second-ever recording of a black darter, a dragonfly species not seen on the reserve since 2003.

WWT’s Head of Reserve Management, Leigh Marshall, said: “Dragonflies rely on wetlands to breed and live. Protecting and creating these habitats is key to ensuring their survival. We’re delighted to see our wetland centres attracting a wider range and breadth of dragonfly and damselfly species. This is ultimately the core of who WWT is, and why our charity exists. Wetlands are wondrous places where water meets land, they provide sanctuary to 40% of the world’s wildlife.”