Adult Southern Hawkers
can be seen flying from July to the middle of October. When they are breeding in late
summer they are usually found near water where the females lay their eggs into plant
tissue or rotting logs. At other times they are found along hedgerows, in woodland
clearings and in gardens.
Adults feed on insects that they catch in mid-air. They can move through
the air at high speed and use their strong legs to catch and hold their prey.
The larvae are aquatic and spend 1-3 years underwater before they emerge
as adults. They feed on insects, tadpoles and small fish, which they lie in ambush for as
they can only see a short distance.
Southern Hawkers are common in southern Britain, but much less so in the
north of the country. |
