Emeralds of Salix

We found six or seven Willow Emeralds earlier this week. Sheltered from the wind and bathed in the autumnal sunshine when they stopped flying and melted into the branches of the salix they were quite impossible to see. Only when they moved was it possible to find them.

This scarce odonata is easily identified by the ‘hook’ on the thorax and their tan coloureds pterostigmas outlined in black. They are also much larger than Common Emerald Damselflies.