Sources

Where the facts come from

Every factual claim on this site links to its source. This is the full list.

How we checked

Each fact was written alongside its source. Our build script stores the source text and, for every fact, checks that the key words and figures really appear in it. 75 of 75 checks passed when this site was last built. All sources were read on 31 Oct 2026. Facts that can change (species counts and records) carry “checked 31 Oct 2026” next to their source link.

Main sources: the British Dragonfly Society (its frequently asked questions, life cycle page and species pages), the Natural History Museum, London, Manx Wildlife Trust and GBIF records for the Isle of Man.

When sources disagree

For the facts on this site we didn’t find trusted sources giving different figures. Where a source gives a range (such as how long larvae take to grow), we give the whole range.

All sources (23)

• British Dragonfly Society: Azure Damselfly (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Banded Demoiselle (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Black Darter (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Blue-tailed Damselfly (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Brown Hawker (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Common Blue Damselfly (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Common Darter (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Common Hawker (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Emerald Damselfly (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Emperor Dragonfly (2 facts)
• British Dragonfly Society: Four-spotted Chaser (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Frequently asked questions (21 facts)
• British Dragonfly Society: Golden-ringed Dragonfly (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Large Red Damselfly (1 fact)
• British Dragonfly Society: Life cycle and biology (20 facts)
• British Dragonfly Society: Migrant Hawker (1 fact)
• GBIF occurrence records: Odonata, Isle of Man (1 fact)
• Manx Wildlife Trust: Emperor dragonfly (1 fact)
• Manx Wildlife Trust: State of Nature 2024, terrestrial invertebrates (3 facts)
• Natural History Museum, London (news, June 2018): Dragonfly wings could inspire new aeroplane flight control (1 fact)
• Natural History Museum, London (news, Sept 2021): Dragonfly species are colonising the UK at a greater rate (1 fact)
• Natural History Museum, London: Dragonflies, the ultimate hunters (10 facts)
• Natural History Museum, London: Giant dragonflies (2 facts)