Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)
Species
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa). Male. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on May 18th 2018.
Male. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on May 18th 2018.
(1/160th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa). Male. Taken at Bernwood Forest, Bucks on June 18th 2018.
Male. Taken at Bernwood Forest, Bucks on June 18th 2018.
(1/500th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa). Immature male. Taken in the Velebits National Park, Croatia, on June 11th 2017.
Immature male. Taken in the Velebits National Park, Croatia, on June 11th 2017.
(1/160th sec at f14. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa). Female. Taken at Parsonage Moor, Oxon., on May 29th 2020.
Female. Taken at Parsonage Moor, Oxon., on May 29th 2020.
(1/400th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa). Female. Taken at Bucknell Wood, Northants, on June 1st 2019.
Female. Taken at Bucknell Wood, Northants, on June 1st 2019.
(1/160th sec at f14. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

Wing span: 64 - 76 mm; Body length: 39 - 48 mm

This species has a very broad, flattened abdomen, which makes the insect appear fat. Both sexes have pale blue, thin ante-humeral stripes and brown eyes. The wing bases and wing spots are very dark brown. Males quickly develop a blue pruinescence on the abdomen with yellow spots along the segment sides. Females are a golden brown on the abdomen, again with yellow spots at the margins. Sometimes old females can develop limited pruinosity, but it is not as extensive as that in the male.

The Broad-bodied Chaser is found in England and Wales.

Its prefered habitat is a wide range of mostly stagnant waters, especially those which are small, shallow, sunny and bare. It is usually quick to colonise new ponds.

Eggs are laid in flight. They hatch after about three weeks and the larvae live in bottom sediment. Nymphs take between one and three years to mature into adults. The flight period is from May to August.

Males are aggressively territorial, taking up positions on bankside vegetation, from where they launch missions to chase intruders or intercept females.

Fairly common in southern Britain.

Sightings

23-Jun-2023 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (2)
22-Jun-2023 : Steart Marshes, Somerset (2)
15-Jun-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
12-Jun-2023 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (1)
02-Jun-2023 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (1)
26-May-2023 : Bucknell Wood, Northants (2)
25-May-2023 : The Coombes, Wilts (1)
23-May-2023 : The Coombes, Wilts (1)

01-Jul-2022 : Bernwood Forest, Bucks (1f)
01-Jul-2022 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (1m)
25-Jun-2022 : Myers Allotment, Lancashire (1f)
17-Jun-2022 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1m)
15-Jun-2022 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (1m)
15-Jun-2022 : Bernwood Meadows, Bucks (1f)
15-Jun-2022 : Waterperry Wood, Oxon (1f)
13-Jun-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (1f)
07-Jun-2022 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (4m,8f)
02-Jun-2022 : Aston, Oxon (1m)
27-May-2022 : Bucknell Wood, Northants (7)
14-May-2022 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1)

14-Jul-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
05-Jul-2021 : Bernwood Forest, Bucks (2m,1f)
26-Jun-2021 : Silchester Common, Hants (1m,1f)
23-Jun-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
15-Jun-2021 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (5m,2f)
14-Jun-2021 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1)
12-Jun-2021 : Waterperry Wood, Oxon (1m,2f)
12-Jun-2021 : Bernwood Meadows, Bucks (2m,1f)
07-Jun-2021 : Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (3m,2f)
07-Jun-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (1f)
05-Jun-2021 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1f)
03-Jun-2021 : Bucknell Wood, Northants (1)

22-Jun-2020 : Waterperry Wood, Oxon (1f)
22-Jun-2020 : Bernwood Forest, Bucks (1m,1f)
09-Jun-2020 : Bernwood Forest, Bucks (1)
02-Jun-2020 : Culham, Oxon (2m)
31-May-2020 : Bernwood Forest, Bucks (1m)
31-May-2020 : Waterperry Wood, Oxon (1f)
31-May-2020 : Bernwood Meadows, Bucks (1m,2f)
30-May-2020 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1f)
29-May-2020 : Parsonage Moor, Oxon (3m,3f)
27-May-2020 : Abingdon, Oxon (1)
27-May-2020 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
26-May-2020 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1f)
21-May-2020 : Bucknell Wood, Northants (1f)
19-May-2020 : Otmoor, Oxon (1m)
14-May-2020 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1ten)
07-May-2020 : Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon (1m)
06-May-2020 : Aston Upthorpe Downs, Oxon (1)

22-Jul-2019 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)