Damselflies and Dragonflies
Little Wittenham Nature Reserve supports a diverse assemblage of breeding damselflies and dragonflies, reflecting the diversity of wetland habitats.
Of the 21 species recorded there is evidence of breeding for at least 17 species. This is one of the reasons why the reserve has been designated as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). The other reason being the large population of breeding amphibians.
Two Nationally Scarce species, the Club-tailed Dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus) and the White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) breed in the river Thames bordering the reserve. Adults of both species find the reserve an important source of food and can be seen in good numbers. Within Britain, the Club-tailed Dragonfly is mainly confined to slow moving silty rivers with some gravels. Although locally common along the Thames and Severn valleys, it is virtually absent from the rest of Britain and scarce throughout Europe. It is a large yellowish and black species that can be seen in June. The White-legged Damselfly occurs more widely across the UK, but is more thinly spread. It appears later in the year and is often abundant in many parts of the reserve.
Other species known to breed include Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas), which is typically seen flying low over water-lily pads, and the Nationally Scarce Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum), that breeds in ponds partially choked with lush emergent vegetation, such as Reedmace (Typha latifolia). Other species of note occurring on the reserve are the Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa) and Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea). Both have only been recorded in small numbers and the latter has not yet been shown to be breeding on the reserve.
