Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Name: Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Scientific name: Cordulegaster boltonii

Category: Minibeasts

Nature Stars: 60

What are nature stars?

About: A very large hawker-type dragonfly, up to 11.5cm long. Both sexes are black, with yellow bands along the body and bright green eyes. Females are longer and narrower. On the wing from June to August. A dragonfly of small streams in moorland and heathland.

How to identify: Unmistakeable.

Where: Found in the uplands of Scotland, northern England, Wales and the south west of England, and on heathland in southern England.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 70
• Agility: 80
• Rarity: 80
• Cute factor: 20
• Traveller: 50

Fantastic fact: The larvae live buried at the bottom of the streams, ambushing prey as it moves past. They grow very slowly and may spend as long as 5 years in the water before they turn into a dragonfly.

Photograph credit: Paul Blair