Field Guide
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Scarce Chaser
Libellula fulva
Not yet photographed by the community
Orange-brown body; blue in male; rare river species.
Species Profile
Nationally Scarce B (UK Red Data Book); declining in many areas due to habitat loss and water pollution.
- Lifespan
- Approximately 2–3 months as adults in the wild
- Size & Weight
- Body length 42–46 mm; wingspan 70–80 mm
- Habitat
- Fast-flowing rivers, streams, and occasionally larger watercourses with clear water and suitable bankside vegetation.
- UK Distribution
- Found in southern and central England, Wales, and the Midlands; resident species with emergence occurring in summer months (June–August), with highest abundance in July.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; hunts small flying insects in flight, including midges, flies, and small mayflies.
- Prey
- Small flying insects such as Diptera (flies) and small aquatic insects captured during aerial hawking.
- Predators
- Robber flies, larger dragonflies, and insectivorous birds such as darters and flycatchers.
- Mating Season
- June to August
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs in strings or clusters on the water surface or submerged vegetation; nymphs are aquatic and typically take 1–2 years to develop depending on water temperature and conditions.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial and perch prominently on waterside vegetation or exposed stones to patrol their stretch of river. They exhibit aggressive chase behaviour towards rival males. Females visit the breeding habitat mainly to oviposit, typically in the early morning.
- •The Scarce Chaser is one of the few British dragonfly species strongly associated with flowing water rather than still ponds or lakes.
- •Males have a distinctive pale blue pruinescence (waxy coating) on their abdomen that develops as they mature.
- •It is one of the earliest-emerging summer dragonflies in the UK, with first individuals appearing in late May or early June.
- •The species shows marked preference for unpolluted, well-oxygenated water with stable flow rates.
- •Its range has contracted significantly in the past 50 years, making it a conservation priority in several English counties.
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