Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta)
Species
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). Male. Taken at Radley Lakes, Oxon on September 12th 2015.
Male. Taken at Radley Lakes, Oxon on September 12th 2015.
(1/160th sec at f18. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). Immature male. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on July 20th 2020.
Immature male. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on July 20th 2020.
(1/160th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). Male in flight. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on August 30th 2018.
Male in flight. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on August 30th 2018.
(1/800th sec at f14. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). Female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on August 28th 2014.
Female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on August 28th 2014.
(1/200th sec at f11. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). Female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on October 28th 2011.
Female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on October 28th 2011.
(1/160th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta). Pair in cop. Taken at Radley Lakes, Oxon., on September 14th 2019.
Pair in cop. Taken at Radley Lakes, Oxon., on September 14th 2019.
(1/640th sec at f11. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

Wingspan: 74 - 84mm; Body length: 56 - 64mm

A small Hawker, not aggressive towards other individuals and occasionally seen in large feeding swarms. The costa is brown and there is a "golf-tee" shaped, yellow mark on the second segment. The male looks quite dark with blue, paired spots along the abdomen. The male's pale yellow ante-humerals are indistinct and short, and its eyes are blue. The female is brown with similar markings to the male but the spots are smaller and often yellow, occasionally blue. The ante-humerals are insignificant or absent and eyes are brownish.

This species is found mainly in England south of a line betwen the Humber and the Ribble. There are some outposts further north, and also in Wales and Ireland. It is also a regular migrant from the continent.

It breeds in a wide variety of still and slow-flowing waters with vegetation such as reeds. It avoids acidic water but tolerates brackish conditions.

Eggs are laid into aquatic vegetation, often above the waterline, and hatch the following spring. Larval development is rapid, and adults emerge a few months later. The main flight period is August to October, but individuals can persist well into November.

Males often fly low over the water in some numbers, hovering frequently and investigating marginal vegetation for females. Both sexes often perch or hawk in hedgerows or woodland rides well away from water.

A locally common species.

Sightings

01-Oct-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
25-Sep-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
23-Sep-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
22-Sep-2023 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
15-Sep-2023 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (4)
14-Sep-2023 : Aston, Oxon (2)
13-Sep-2023 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (7)
12-Sep-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
08-Sep-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
07-Sep-2023 : Folly Park, Faringdon, Oxon (2)
05-Sep-2023 : Otmoor, Oxon (8)
17-Aug-2023 : Aston Rowant NNR, Oxon (1)
16-Aug-2023 : Whelford Pools, Glos (3)
15-Aug-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
01-Aug-2023 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
25-Jul-2023 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (15)
17-Jul-2023 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (7)
17-Jul-2023 : Bernwood Forest, Bucks (2)

18-Oct-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
18-Sep-2022 : Chimney Meadows, Oxon (2)
16-Sep-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (5)
12-Sep-2022 : Aston, Oxon (1)
02-Sep-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1)
31-Aug-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (10)
27-Aug-2022 : Crog Hill, Oxon (2m)
26-Aug-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (8)
19-Aug-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (7m)
15-Aug-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
15-Aug-2022 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (2)
12-Aug-2022 : Aston, Oxon (1)
09-Aug-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (6)
07-Aug-2022 : Aston, Oxon (1)

11-Oct-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
29-Sep-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (10)
24-Sep-2021 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1)
20-Sep-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (4m,1f)
18-Sep-2021 : Cholsey Marsh, Oxon (3)
17-Sep-2021 : Abingdon, Oxon (1)
16-Sep-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (7)
15-Sep-2021 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (11)
12-Sep-2021 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (5m,1f)
06-Sep-2021 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
05-Sep-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (12)
23-Aug-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (8)
19-Aug-2021 : Abingdon, Oxon (2)
11-Aug-2021 : Fence Wood, Berks (4)
11-Aug-2021 : Mortimer, Berks (6)
07-Aug-2021 : Abingdon, Oxon (1)
03-Aug-2021 : Abingdon, Oxon (1)
02-Aug-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (1)