British Dragonfly Society

The British Dragonfly Society has spread its wings and joined BlueSky 🦋 If you've flown over there too, please be sure to give us a follow 👇 bsky.app/profile/britis… #TeamDragonfly #BlueskySocial

@Ann1e_5tap1es There are multiple pollutants in our rivers. Sewage is also a significant threat; last year, sewage was discharged into England and Wales’ waterways for over two and a half million hours. River Trust's blog on water companies' 2025 data: bit.ly/4skNifp

@BDSdragonflies Nothing to do with sewage then?

A new report from wildlife charity Buglife reveals that pesticides from common flea and tick treatments are now widespread in rivers across Britain and may be contributing to major declines in freshwater invertebrates bit.ly/4b1Pu50

My yearly reminder to odonata enthusiasts on what's flying in what month, give or take a few days depending on weather patterns. @BDSdragonflies @Britnatureguide @NatureUK @BBCSpringwatch #Teamdragonfly

@keith_gall81554 Correct! Please submit your sighting to our database to help us track the health of British dragonfly populations: british-dragonflies.org.uk/recording/subm…

@BDSdragonflies is this a common blue, photo taken in August at Rixton claypits warrington

Last year, sewage was discharged into England and Wales’ waterways for over two and a half million hours. Read the River Trust's blog on water companies' 2025 data: theriverstrust.org/about-us/news/…

Happy Easter to all our wonderful followers! Here's an eggcellent fact: female dragonflies can lay hundreds of eggs during their adult lives, although only a small proportion will make it to adulthood.

Author and tour guide Dave Smallshire reflects on some of his exciting finds whilst travelling the world on the hunt for dragonflies. Watch now on the BDS YouTube channel: bit.ly/3PKcHBO

Evidence that toxic pet flea treatment chemicals are widespread in Welsh rivers and harming wildlife, and advice for pet owners. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Book your free tickets to the BDS Spring Meeting 2026 on 21 March! Learn about the dragonflies of Poland and the upcoming European Congress of Odonatology taking place in the capital of Teresin in late June british-dragonflies.org.uk/event/spring-m…

Did you see the emerging Emperors on Wild London? Hear from the man who raised them. Join us at our Spring Meeting online on Saturday 21 March and learn about the weird world dragonfly larvae from experts Jon Van-Gowler and Mark Webb. bit.ly/4bbXBgn #odonata #wildlife

Book your free ticket to the online BDS Spring Meeting on Saturday, 21 March 2026. Featuring the 'The National Education Nature Park' - a free, Department for Education–commissioned programme supporting schools, colleges and nurseries across England british-dragonflies.org.uk/event/spring-m…

Speak up for our rare and precious chalk streams! Support The Wildlife Trusts' response to the NPPF consultation, calling for robust protection of chalk streams from future developments action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/183198/ac…

Hundreds of Bog Pools Restored for Rare Dragonflies! Since November 2024, the BDS has been working with landowners and contractors to increase the climate change resilience of the breeding habitat of rare peatland dragonflies, like the Azure Hawker. bit.ly/4aWZ74M

Peatlands are among our biggest allies in the fight against climate change. The Peat-Free Partnership join us for the Spring Meeting on 21 March to talk about their campaign to end the sale of peat. Find out more at bit.ly/4bbXBgn

Book your free ticket to Restoring Stover Park- find out about the management work that has taken place at Stover CP and the dragonflies of the South-East. bit.ly/4cbCtYP #devon #dragonflies #Stover #NewtonAbbot

@Nick_Udy @smallshire Males do get overexcited sometimes and grab each other, as well as individuals of another species, by accident.

Desperate Times for these Damselflies!...I forgot I had this, and it's something I've never seen since I took this pic back at the end of Sep 2022, hopefully @smallshire/@BDSdragonflies might be able to enlighten me on this behaviour cos three's a crowd ;) -Aylesbeare 25/09/2022

Our 2026 calendar, featuring stunning entries from our photo competition, is now just £5! Profits support the conservation of dragonflies in Britain. british-dragonflies.org.uk/product/bds-20…

This week, we kicked off Dragonflies on the Bog habitat restoration work at our project’s NTS Glencoe locations with Stag Infrastructure and National Trust for Scotland. #dragonfliesonthebog #naturerestorationfund #naturescot #scotgovnetzero #worldwetlandsday

Did you know not all dragonfly larvae live in waterways and waterbodies- in New Zealand, some live in burrows! Dragonfly ambassadors Ruary Mackenzie Dodds and Kari de Koenigswarter have been recording the nocturnal activity of Uropetala carovei larvae. weta.ento.org.nz/index.php/weta…

An updated guide to the Dragonflies of Devon, by Dave Smallshire, is available to download from the BDS website: british-dragonflies.org.uk/new-guide-to-d…