Norfolk Hawker

Taxobox

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name = Norfolk Hawker
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Odonata
subordo = Anisoptera
familia = Aeshnidae
genus = "Aeshna"
species = "A. isosceles"
binomial = "Aeshna isosceles"
binomial_authority = (Muller, 1767)The Norfolk Hawker ("Aeshna isosceles"), while not uncommon in Europe, is an extremely rare species of dragonfly in Great Britain. It has a yellow triangular mark on the second abdominal segment which gave rise to its scientific name. It also has green eyes and clear, untinted wings. It is mainly a Mediterranean species, at home in the lowlands of North Africa and Southern Europe.

In Britain, the Norfolk Hawker is protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and listed in Category 1 (endangered) in the British Red Data Books on Insects.

Its habitats in The Broads [An area with similar protection to a National park] in Norfolk, England include Hickling Broad and two National Nature Reserves: Mid-Yare NNR and Ludham - Potter Heigham NNR.

The Norfolk Hawker needs unspoiled grazing marsh dykes, clean non-saline water, rushy margins, and an abundance of aquatic plants, especially the water soldier "Stratoites aloides".

Recently, an alternative common name,Green-eyed Hawker, has been proposed for this species by Dijkstra in his book "The Dragonflies of Britain and Europe" (ISBN 0953139948)

References and Notes

External links

* [http://www.norfolkdragons/species/isosceles.shtml Norfolk Dragonflies]
* [http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/mffanisofull.htm British Dragonfly Society]