Male Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster Boltonii) at Castle Bottom

At the back of Blackbushe Airport, near Yateley in northeast Hampshire is Castle Bottom nature reserve, which has a very particular type of stream. The water is acidic and yellowy-brown from the peat that it runs through and the stream is about 3 or 4 inches deep, with a very stony bottom. This specific set of requirements is the only environment that Britain's largest dragonfly (in fact our largest insect) will breed in. The female Golden-ringed has a set of addenda at the end of her abdomen, which she uses to push into the bottom of the river, so that she can lay her eggs under the stones, to prevent them from being washed downstream.

Hampshire Yateley Blackbushe Airport Castle Bottom Nature Reserve Acidic stream Golden-ringed Dragonfly Yateley Hampshire

This image is available to purchase and is part of our Yateley Stock Photos Collection.