Dragonfly and Damselfly Species

Key Objectives

• Raise awareness of dragonfly species, the changes in their numbers and distribution, and their habitat requirements.
• Collect & analyse records of dragonfly species across Barnsley
• Identify the locations where dragonfly species breed and forage, and seek to enhance the particular habitat features they use.
• Create appropriate links and corridors between sites supporting dragonfly/damselfly species.
• Identify priority sites for locally important dragonfly/damselfly species or the dragonfly/damselfly assemblages that they support.
• Ensure that priority sites are protected by designation in a SSSI or LWS.
• Establish positive conservation management of priority sites to bring them into favourable condition for dragonfly/damselfly species.

Recording

What is being done

• Recording at Rabbit Ings, Old Moor and elsewhere in Barnsley
• Red-eyed Damselfly recorded at Old Moor
• Small Red-eyed damselfly recorded at Old Moor (2016) and Worsbrough (2018)

Proposed actions

• Dragonfly surveys and recording
• Conduct and complete dragonfly atlas
• Identification of key sites and assessment of priority sites
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Conserving

What is being done

• Creation of Rabbit Ings as important site
• Requirements for dragonfly/damselfly taken into account in management of wetlands
• Increase in numbers of ponds through GCN District Level Licensing scheme

Proposed actions

• Identification of best dragonfly sites and other potentially good sites.
• Regular monitoring of priority sites
• Assessment for LWS designation of best sites and LWS in positive conservation management/favourable condition by 2030
• Investigate habitat requirements of important species to inform management.

Marking progress in conservation of dragonfly and damselfly species

• Current dragonfly/damselfly species continue to breed in Barnsley
• Current dragonfly/damselfly populations and assemblages maintained and extended
• Number of priority sites / sites designated LWS
• Sites under positive conservation management

 Dragonflies Action Plan

Priority Sites and Local Wildlife Sites

Sites where eight (8) or more species of dragonfly &/or damselfly have been recorded in the last 10 years are a local priority and will be considered for LWS status.

Sites with fewer species but a breeding population of species considered important in Yorkshire may be also designated a Local Wildlife Site.

‘Locally important species’ in Yorkshire currently (2021) include: the following species recorded in Barnsley:

Red-eyed Damselfly

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Migrant Hawker

Emperor Dragonfly

Blacktailed Skimmer.

Sites should include the core breeding waterbody and any outlying habitat that is used for hunting, where this area can be easily identified.

Local Wildlife Sites have a presumption against development but no protection against operations that do not require planning or change of use consent.

These criteria are in line with the British Dragonfly Society (BDS) guidelines for sites of importance  for dragonflies in Yorkshire.

The BDS have published a flowchart and guidance for assessing the value of a site for dragonflies and determining whether it is a possible priority site and site of importance.

BDS priority sites assessment

This includes the criteria for breeding and for abundance of different species.

Image to follow

Images to follow