Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense)

OTHER NAMES: Hairy Hawker, Spring Hawker
Latin Etymology: Brachytron (?) pratense ("meadow")

Adult female Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) at Crossness, London - May 2019

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 5.5cm  /  Wingspan: ?
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The smallest hawker dragonfly in the UK, and one belonging to it's own monotypic genus.  It is one of the first dragonfly species to emerge in the UK, first appearing in May, and it's range is increasing Northwards, potentially as a consequence of Climate Change.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Aeshnidae
Genus: Brachytron
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A resident of Sourthern Britain, expanding it's range

 - Seen at Crossness in May 2019

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Three-spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

OTHER NAMES: Stickleback, Tiddler
Latin Etymology: Gasterosteus ("stomach bone") aculeatus ("barbed")

Adult Three-Spined Stickleback (G. a. aculeatus) at Crossness, London - May 2019

Featured Subspecies: Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus
Weight: ?  /  Length: 3-8cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Least Concern


The Three-spined Stickleback is a small freshwater fish found in much of higher latitude Europe and North America.  They are apparently very tolerant of salinity changes compared to fish, breeding in fresh or brackish water, but also capable of living at the sea.  It also has fairly distinct breeding behaviour, with the colourful male building a nest-tunnel for which the female to lay eggs, and then defending them once the female has laid them, plus fanning them with his fins to keep them oxygenated. 

Related Species:
Order: Gasterosteiformes
Family: Gasterosteidae
Genus: Gasterosteus
SUBSPECIES: G. a. aculeatus, G. a. williamsoni, G. a. santaeannae

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident

 - Seen at Crossness in May 2019.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .