Assynt Wildlife Mapping Project
This Project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage
Assynt Dragonfly – Damselfly Distribution Maps
The Assynt Wildlife Mapping Project (2020), which commenced on 9th July 2020, formed part of the successful bid by the Field Club to the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape Partnership and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage. The project end date is 31st December 2020.
The full bid included proposals to: upgrade our existing website, which was launched in 2009; make more raw data regarding Assynt’s wildlife available in one location; encourage more contributions of records, then this final part is to produce maps showing the distribution of many of our species.
These dragonfly – damselfly distribution maps will not only help illustrate where certain species occur, but just as importantly where they seem to be missing.
Azure Hawker Dragonfly Aeshna caerulea
Black Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum danae
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
Common Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum
Common Hawker Dragonfly Aeshna juncea
Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa
Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly Libellula quadrimaculata
Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii
*Highland Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum nigrescens
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
*Previously known, in the Highland area, as the Highland Darter Sympetrum nigrescens the latest DNA research states that these are a dark morph of Sympetrum striolatum (Common Darter), the darker colouring benefiting survival in a colder, northern climate.
The above maps are current as of the end of 2019, but will be updated at the same time as the annual update of the Wildlife Records Digitisation Project spreadsheets.