The Migrant Dragonfly Project was established in the mid 1990’s as a means to improve our understanding of the details of, and reasons for, dragonfly migration. Recent results have indicated that a number of migrants also appear to be becoming commoner in Britain than earlier this century (e.g. Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombei and Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope). One less-expected spin-off from the Migrant Dragonfly Project might thus also be a better understanding of range changes which many European Odonata appear to be experiencing at present (for whatever reasons).
How to get involved
Observers are encouraged to submit records of migrants they have seen to the Migrant Dragonfly Project. Information is urgently wanted not only on the rarer species, but also on immigration of the common species which also occur as residents in Britain. Such immigration can often be detected by sightings of either obvious directional movements, unusual numbers of individuals, or by the presence of dragonflies in atypical habitats. Records should be submitted to the Project Co-ordinator, Adrian Parr (adrian.parr@btinternet.com; 10 Orchard Way, Barrow, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP29 5BX). Special recording forms are available for those who wish to become more than casually involved; observers are kindly requested to provide written or photographic evidence to support claims of extreme rarities. Results are summarised each year in the Journal of the British Dragonfly Society.