Why identify dragonflies and damselflies?
Dragonflies and damselflies together form the group Odonata. Their identification will be crucial to you if you are involved with the management of, or surveying and protection of, freshwater habitats such as ponds, streams and rivers. Being near the top of the freshwater food chain, these insects respond quickly to changes in water quality and habitats. As they are relatively easy to locate and identify they make ideal indicators of freshwater management and will highlight any decrease in habitat quality.
Some species are rare, but increasing and many species have particular habitat requirements. Understanding them is key to managing any freshwater habitat. This is a group often ignored in surveys, however their identification is relatively straightforward and they are easily surveyed and monitored.
The course
This one day course gives you the basics of how to identify Odonata. As with all Project Fred courses we intend to give you the tools with which to identify the subject, so that you can then identify Odonata when you are on your own.
Learn about
- Identification, both in the classroom and in the field
- Odonata habitats and how to manage water bodies for them
- Books to use - there are several Odonata books available. We give you advice on what to look out for when choosing one, where to get them from and which ones we feel are best
- Odonata terminology - some of the technical terms for body parts explained!
- The fascinating sex life of Odonata
Highlights include
- Unique keys, developed by Project Fred, to help you identify dragonflies quickly
- Field work - to develop identification skills and field craft
- Slide show covering habitat, flight times and identification characteristics
- Hand outs covering dragonfly flight times, books to use and abundance in UK
Equipment and things to bring
If you have a pair of binoculars that focus closely, down to about 1 metre, please bring them.
A notebook and pencil are useful, plus a field guide. We shall bring copies of a range of guides, but we recommended the following as a great guide for the beginner:
Steve Brooks and Richard Lewington. Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by British Wildlife Publishing (1997) ISBN = 0 9531399 0 5.
The course will involve some walking, but there will be nothing too strenuous. Strong, comfortable walking boots or shoes are therefore important, as is a good selection of appropriate clothing to the time of year - all in natural colours as far as possible please - greens and browns are preferable. A small rucksack will also be useful for carrying your equipment. Drinks and snacks can also be bought along. We shall provide a net to use in the field sessions.
Cost
£40 per person. Group size minimum 5 and maximum 15 people. Smaller groups can be catered for at a standard cost of £200 per course. Larger groups may also be accommodated. Conservation Groups and Charities may be able to get a discount. Please contact us to discuss.
