A WILDLIFE enthusiast is celebrating his discovery of a new species at marshlands near Stafford.
Peter Morris, a 25-year-old volunteer for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, discovered a species of dragonfly never seen before at Doxey Marshes while helping warden Scott Petrek with conservation work.
The reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as it houses important populations of wetland birds, but eagle-eyed Mr Morris discovered a group of previously uncovered migrant hawker dragonflies.
The dragonfly enthusiast said: “I was really excited when I saw the migrant hawker at my local nature reserve as it is such a scarce species around here.
“I took a photo and reported it to the ecological records centre at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and they confirmed it was not only the first record for the reserve but also for the area as a whole.”
Mr Petrek said: “Migrant hawker are really stunning dragonflies – they have dark bodies with striking blue markings.
“They are becoming a common sight in the south of England but still remain a scarce species in Staffordshire, so we’re really pleased that they have made a home on Doxey Marshes.”
Wildlife enthusiasts who want to follow the trust’s work can do so by following ‘@StaffsWildlife’ it on Twitter.
