GREEN-EYED HAWKER
If seen in the UK, this dragonfly is known as the Norfolk hawker. It is one of the easier dragonflies to recognize. The thorax and abdomen are brown apart from a small yellow triangle on the second abdominal segment and of course they have green eyes. These dragonflies have clear wings and reach a length of 62 to 67mm (about 2.64 in). Both sexes have a similar appearance. Their preferred habitats are ponds, ditches, and marshes with dense vegetation, but I have mostly seen them hawking and resting at the creek in Katelios.
The posh name for a dragonfly laying her eggs is ovipositing. The green-eyed hawker female oviposits onto floating vegetation, where they hatch 2 weeks later. The larval stage takes 2 years to complete. The adults or imagoes emerge in May and can be seen flying until August. The green-eyed hawker is a photographer's dream, as they like to rest for extended periods on vegetation. When on the wing, the male will defend its territory by hovering in the centre of the pond.
