What the bloody hell is this!!!! (insect related)

[Pixel-Snapper]

And before anyone says, I know it's a dragon fly! but it's a bloody big one and I've never seen one quite this big before.

Misses snapped it after landing on her mums bag while they were walking through it's native habitat of Hinckley town centre.





Thanks in advance.

[FunkyNige]

My insect book (still out from the last 'what's this bug? thread!) tells me it's a female or immature male Common Aeshna. The description starts with 'This very large Hawker Dragonfly...' so sounds right!

[scorp]

Seen things this big flying around in SE-Asia, must be the weather..

[lazy_b]

Looks like a Southern Hawker . The quick identification guide says:-

"Look for the ‘headlights’ on their thorax behind the eyes – these are large green spots, the green triangle just below the wings and the three bars (rather than paired spots) at the end of their abdomens."

[TheHeretic]

That is a lesser spotted pterodactyl.

[ehonda]

That's one beautiful insect.

Looking at its left wing, looks like it might have been freshly hatched

[Pixel-Snapper]

I thought it looked pretty prehistoric and to be honest I thought she was trying to have me on.

So it's just a communal native dragon fly then not some foreign mutated beast then.

Same.

Thanks for the clarification though peeps.

[Pixel-Snapper]

ehonda said:

That's one beautiful insect.

Looking at its left wing, looks like it might have been freshly hatched

Or flown into a cobweb.

[RealSquirrels]

looks like a radio controlled drone to me

any reason your mother in law could be under surveillance?

[spitfire-ian]

Errrr...

[lufbramatt]

Just sat down to a cup of tea and a browse though PH to be greeted with a noise that sounded like someone sweeping up the kitchen. Had a WTF moment and went to see what it was to be greeted with one of these beasties going mental- the noise was its wings against the cupboard doors. It then buggered off upstairs. These things are not fun to get rid of. Jesus. Like having some sort of dinosaur bird creature in the house. wingspan must have been getting of for 5 inches :-O

Edited by lufbramatt on Wednesday 7th August 15:57

[PoleDriver]

I have a real problem with anything having more than 4 legs, but I've always liked dragonflies! I've seen some real monsters in the Far East!

Good pictures btw!

[Yertis]

lufbramatt said:

Just sat down to a cup of tea and a browse though PH to be greeted with a noise that sounded like someone sweeping up the kitchen. Had a WTF moment and went to see what it was to be greeted with one of these beasties going mental- the noise was its wings against the cupboard doors. It then buggered off upstairs. These things are not fun to get rid of. Jesus. Like having some sort of dinosaur bird creature in the house. wingspan must have been getting of for 5 inches :-O

Edited by lufbramatt on Wednesday 7th August 15:57

I wonder if there would be a market for accurate scale model construction kits of such things?

[lufbramatt]

I'm sure Tamiya used to do stuff like that in their range back in the 90's.

ETA: yes they did

http://technabob.com/blog/2010/01/02/solar-powered...

[Turn7]

Soo,tell me...can these things sting or bite ? I've never been sure.

[Dilligaf10]

Had one in the kitchen the other day, big enough to steal my dinner! Grabbed it with a tea towel and the thing turned round like it was trying to bite me.

Beautiful creatures but scary.