Norfolk Hawker

The Norfolk Hawker (Aeshna isosceles) is the jewel of the broads, an iconic dragonfly to many. Not because of any intrinsic character (though it is a handsome insect) but because it represents the regeneration of the broads and the sucess of conservation. Once found across the whole of East Anglia, by the mid-1970's some authorities believed it extinct in Britain. Since the 1980's however it has staged a comeback, and while still a rare insect, it is now well protected at a variety of nature reserves.

Photo:P N Taylor

As a very comprehensive page is here, we will not repeat it, but instead note that this is a protected species by law and must not be captured or handled without a licence. Recent records include sightings at Whitlingham Broad and UEA Broad, and we are hopeful that it will continue to spread. Any sightings should be forwarded to the county recorder

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