aeshna isosceles

In Britain, the Norfolk hawker seems to be dependent on ditches containing the water soldier plant Stratiotes aloides. This plant is largely confined to the Norfolk Broads area and is very sensitive to eutrophication.The largest populations of water soldier and the Norfolk hawker are in dyke systems that are isolated from polluted rivers.

The Norfolk hawker occurs in three national nature reserves, on two RSPB reserves and in several of the reserves of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Managers of these reserves are aware of the general requirements of the species and it is being catered for sympathetically.

This dragonfly is found throughout central and southern Europe but only in localised areas in northern Europe in Britain it is restricted to Norfolk. It has also been found in North Africa.

This dragonfly is restricted to one area of Britain - the broads district of Norfolk. It has been scarce and local in Britain since records began.It is now categorised as endangered in Britain and is listed in schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.In Britain, this endangered species of dragonfly is found only around the Norfolk Broads, but it is also found in other parts of Europe and North Africa. In Norfolk, it prefers to live close to waterways where the water soldier plant - Stratiotes aloides grows. Its name Aeshna isosceles relates to a distinctive triangular marking on its abdomen.

Lookalikes
Aeshna isosceles the Norfolk Hawker, closely resembles Aeshna grandis the brown hawker. Although the two species look alike Aeshna grandis has light brown wings and Aeshna isosceles has a yellow triangle on the 2nd abdominal segment, clear wings and distinctive green eyes.