Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator
Length
78mm Wings, 106mm.
Males
Thorax bright green; abdomen blue with black central line; legs black; eyes green; wings clear with yellow costa.
Females
Generally greenish with thicker black central abdominal line.
Gallery
Habitat
Canals, gravel pits, lakes and ponds.
Behavior
Males have strong flight, flying low over territorial waters. Females lay eggs alone into floating vegetation.
Flight Period
Late May to mid-August. In Great Britain found in most of England and Wales, south of Lancashire/ Humber. Gradually spreading through the East Riding.

Recorded at the Following Featured Locations
View the latest sightings for this species.
- Walton Colliery Nature Park
- Pugneys Country Park
- The Arboretum, Kew at Castle Howard
- Nosterfield Local Nature Reserve
- Timble Ings
- High Batts Nature Reserve
- Ellington Banks MoD Training Area
- Johnny Brown's Common
- Potteric Carr
- Fen Bog
- Spurn Point
- Skipwith Common
- Saltmarshe Delph
- Pulfin and High Eske Nature Reserve
- Pocklington Canal
- Oak Road Lake, Hull
- North Cave Wetlands
- Market Weighton Canal and Newport Ponds
- Leven Canal
- Hornsea Mere
- Filey Dams
- Eastrington Ponds
- Bransholme Fishing Lake, East Hull
- Allerthorpe Common
- Tophill Low Nature Reserve