Norfolk Hawker and Water Soldier - a dilemma for conservation?
The endangered Norfolk Hawker thrives in areas with good cover of Water Soldier, an aquatic perennial that provides a rich source of invertebrate prey for the dragonfly’s larvae. Water Soldier can cause problems outside its native range, however, which means that efforts to expand populations of Norfolk Hawker can conflict with other management objectives. Steve Cham provides a background on the association between Norfolk Hawker and Water Solider, and explains the dilemma that this interaction causes for conservationists.
The Norfolk Hawker Aeshna isosceles is a rare and iconic dragonfly. As its popular English name suggests, it was until relatively recently restricted to the Norfolk Broads area of eastern England.