Photos

Some photos of male Broad-bodied Chasers, along with images from Rory Morrisey of both male and females.

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  Male, Marston Thrift
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  Male, Marston Thrift
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  Male, Marston Thrift
• 
  Male, Alwins Field - Photograph kindly donated by Rory Morrisey
• 
  Female, Alwins Field - Photograph kindly donated by Rory Morrisey
• 
  Ovipositing female, Alwins Field - Photograph kindly donated by Rory Morrisey

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Main features

Classification:

Odonata
	Anisoptera			True dragonflies
		Libellulidae		Chasers, Skimmers, & Darters

Attractive Mid sized dragonfly, with a short and broad body. Flight is fast and agile, low across the water.

The male has a distinctive blue pruinosed abdomen, with yellow spots along the side. The female is more yellow, a dull brown that darkens with age, the yellow spots are larger in the female.

The immature male is a bright orange yellow colour, without the blue colouring.

Both male and female feature brown patches at the base of the wings.

Could be confused with the much rarer Scarce Chaser, which is smaller and of slighter build, or the Black-tailed Skimmer, which lacks the basal wing patches.

Habitat

Prefers still, shallow waters, ponds and lakes that aren't too sheltered, rarely at rivers but found at overflow pools close by. Often amongst the first dragonflies to colonize new ponds.

Where to see

Mostly ponds, in gardens and woods, often found singly. Newly excavated ponds at Marston Thrift support a number of BBCs.

Visible between early May and September