The following information was kindly provided by Mike Paskin.
Several species of dragonfly and Damselfly occur within the study area, this is a list compiled from Rhayader by Nature Factsheet No4, which is available from Richard Knight on request. The factsheet contains more detailed information. Mike suggests the list is used in conjunction with a good book on dragonflies, and recommends ‘Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland’ by Steve Brooks and Richard Lewington, revised edition (2004).
You may also need a net; with experience it should be possible to recognise most species on sight but many species, particularly damselflies are variable in colour and markings and need to be examined closely.
It is important to remember that freshly emerged damselflies and dragonflies often lack the bright colours (and wing darkening where appropriate) – these are acquired over the first 24 hrs or so. For the beginer it is best to concentrate on identifying the more strongly coloured individuals.
The following are the species you may see in the study area.
Probably a well established resident
Emerald Damselfly – usually near still water (bogs,pools,ditches etc)
Beautiful Demoiselle - fast flowing rivers
Large Red Damselfly – bog pools, ponds & ditches.
Blue – tailed Damselfly – shallow disturbed water with little vegetation.
Common Blue Damselfly – ponds, lakes, slow rivers
Azure Damselfly – ponds, ditches & lakes.
Golden Ringed Dragonfly – Moorland gravely streams, seen in coniferous forestry with streams locally.
Brown Hawker – ponds,ditches, lakes and slow rivers.
Emporer Dragonfly – pioneer species, likes ponds, ditches and lakes.
Southern Hawker – ponds and lakes, especially with trees.
Common Hawker – pools and ponds
Broad Bodied Chaser – small ponds, ditches and lakes – prefers small open sites but also in well vegetated areas.
Four Spotted Chaser – Bog pools, ponds, ditches.
Black Darter – Bog pools but wanders widely away from normal habitat.
Common Darter – ponds, ditches, lakes, slow rivers
Occurs nearby with isolated records from Rhayader area.
Banded Demoiselle – slow rivers. Once ay pond east of Rhayader
Small Red Damselfly – Bog pools, ponds and streams. One doubtful local record but does occur in west Wales.
Scarce blue-tailed damselfly – small ponds – recorded in Elan valley and at Nanerth.
Hairy Dragonfly – ponds and ditches – prefers linear sites.
Migrant Hawker – ponds, lakes and slow rivers. Migrant and well established breeder in south Wales.
Club-tailed dragonfly – slow rivers
Black tailed skimmer – small ponds, lakes, marshes – likes the exposed trampled shores of Llyn Gwyn.
Keeled Skimmer – Bog pools and streams
Ruddy Darter – slow water – recorded at Nanerth only.
Bob Dennison, county dragonfly recorder has published a list of dragonfly sightings in Radnorshire for 2009
http://www.b-i-s.org/files/Amended%20Radnorshire%202009%20Odonata%20newsletter.pdf
