Things With Wings
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Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
1 photo
·1 photographer
·Uncommon · 10 ptsFlat blue or yellow body; perches prominently by ponds.
1 community photo of Broad-bodied Chaser on Things With Wings. Top-rated shots often use around 1/1000ss shutter, 300mm.
Species Profile
Green List; common and widespread with no conservation concerns in the UK.
- Lifespan
- Approximately 7–8 weeks as adults; total lifecycle from egg to adult roughly 1–2 years depending on water temperature.
- Size & Weight
- 28–31 mm body length; wingspan 52–58 mm.
- Habitat
- Found around shallow, warm, well-vegetated ponds, lakes, and ditches with emergent vegetation and open basking areas.
- UK Distribution
- Widespread across England and Wales, becoming scarcer in Scotland; generally resident with local populations boosted by late-summer emergence.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; hunts small flying insects including gnats, midges, flies, and smaller dragonflies.
- Prey
- Gnats, midges, small flies, and occasionally smaller dragonflies and damselflies.
- Predators
- Birds (particularly kingfishers and warblers), spiders, fish (in nymphal stage), and robber flies.
- Mating Season
- May to September, with peak activity June to August.
- Breeding
- Females lay hundreds of eggs in batches directly into water or wet vegetation; nymphs develop over 1–2 years through multiple instars, with emergence typically in June–September.
Sources and editorial status
The short identification summary comes from the Things With Wings species catalogue. The extended species profile is AI-assisted and has not been individually reviewed by a wildlife expert, so verify important identification or conservation details with the specialist sources below.
Profile generated 22 June 2026
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Camera Settings (top photos)
Shutter
1/1000ss
ISO Range
200
Aperture
f/f/5.6
Focal Length
300mm
