takes place away from the breeding sites, and the females lay their eggs singly, carefully
placing them in plant tissue, or in mud at the edge of a pond. Still or slow-moving water
is generally selected for breeding; farm reservoirs, drainage dykes, canals, coastal
ditches, flooded pits and even garden ponds may be used. Aeshna cyanea is usually on
the wing from early July, but there is considerable year-by-year variation in the duration
of its flight period. In 1986 it was observed as late as October 26th. hut more usually its
season is over by mid-September in Essex.
The species was given as 'very common' in Doubleday's (1871) Epping list. It also
appeared on F.A. Walker's (1897) list for Wanstead Park, and Harwood (1903) declared
it to be 'by far the commonest as well as one of the handsomest and most widely
distributed of its family". Most subsequent lists included the species, often with a
reference to its abundance, so that we may suppose its status in Essex has remained
more or less unchanged, certainly since Doubleday's time. During the present survey
period, A. cyanea has been reported from a total of forty-six 10 km. squares in Essex, and
it appears to be evenly distributed throughout the county, including the north-west.
Aeshna grandis (Linne, 1758) Brown Hawker
This very common and distinctive hawker is widespread in southern England and the
Midlands, but becomes scarcer northwards and appears to be largely absent from Wales
and the South West. It is the only uniformly brown hawker at all likely to be met with in
Essex, and is also distinctive in the yellowish-tinted wing-membranes, and orange/
brown wing-venation. Males and females are very similar in appearance.
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