The Common Club-tailed dragonfly is now known to be much more widely distributed around the Arun and Rother rivers in West Sussex, thanks to surveys and river and wetland restoration work being carried out as part of the ARC project.
The Common Club-tail is a distinctive yellow and black dragonfly found near slow-flowing meandering rivers, which is under threat from water pollution, river dredging and habitat loss.
The Club-tailed dragonfly is very unusual in Sussex and is also listed as a vulnerable species in the UK. It is found only on the Arun and Rother and the Thames rivers in southern England, with only five other populations on UK rivers - the most significant of which is on the River Dee.
Surveyor Dave Sadler found Common Club-tails on the Rother and the Arun this summer at new locations around New Bridge and Houghton. He witnessed some fascinating new breeding behaviours including a female carrying eggs and a mating pair (pictured); all proof that they are breeding in the area.
The Common Club-tail has unique larvae with short bulbous antennae which are not seen on any other British species. It also has separate eyes which distinguish it from most other dragonfly species.
Adult Common Club-tails can very difficult to spot and are found in woodland as well as rivers. They spend a lot of time perching on the ground in bushes and in treetops. Because they prefer unpolluted water, their presence is an indication of the cleanliness of rivers.
“The ARC project is doing valuable work to support these vulnerable species and to strengthen their populations by improving river habitats.” said Fran Southgate of the Sussex Wildlife Trust. “The results of the survey are very good news and we hope that next year will see an expanding population of Common Club-tails across the wider Arun and Western Streams catchment.”