Isle of Man

Dragonflies on the Isle of Man

This site is made on the island. Here’s what Manx Wildlife Trust and the public records say.

18 species of dragonfly and damselfly are currently recorded on the Isle of Man, and 11 of them are Manx residents. Manx Wildlife Trust: State of Nature 2024, terrestrial invertebrates · checked 31 Oct 2026

On the island they are found by ponds, gravel pits, upland bogs and plantation pools. Manx Wildlife Trust: State of Nature 2024, terrestrial invertebrates

The upland species

Manx Wildlife Trust is most concerned for the upland species: black darter, emerald damselfly and common hawker. Manx Wildlife Trust: State of Nature 2024, terrestrial invertebrates · checked 31 Oct 2026

The photos above were taken elsewhere (Germany and Japan); they show the species, not Manx individuals.

Manx Wildlife Trust lists the Isle of Man in the emperor’s range. Manx Wildlife Trust: Emperor dragonfly · checked 31 Oct 2026

Thousands of Isle of Man dragonfly and damselfly records are shared on GBIF. The most-recorded are the common darter, blue-tailed damselfly and common blue damselfly. GBIF occurrence records: Odonata, Isle of Man · checked 31 Oct 2026

Figures like these change as new records come in, so they carry the date we checked them.