Lesser Emperor

The Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) has only been recorded once from Norfolk. Another recent addition to Britain, it was first recorded in 1996 in Gloucestershire - but it took till 2002 before a single male was spotted here. It has bred in Cornwall, and the number of sightings in Britain has increased each year, suggesting that this is yet another species we might gain as a regular.

Identification

The blue saddle on segment 3 and half of segment 4 is conspicuous. There is a yellow band above it. The abdomen colour is variable, particularly in females. Noticably smaller than the Emperor

Any sightings, preferably with photographs, should be reported to the County recorder

Location	Grid Reference	Status
Titchwell	TF7544	Scarce Vagrant