Steyning Downland Scheme: Scarce Chaser

Earlier this week, long-time SDS volunteer, Sarah Quantrill was watching what she thought were Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies on the Lower Pond.

She took a photo and posted it up on our SDS Volunteers WhatsApp group.

There, a keen-eyed John Woodward recognised it as a male Scarce Chaser.

For our exacting readers, male Scarce Chasers are very similar to Broad-bodied Chasers, but they have blue eyes instead of dark brown ones and dark patches near the base of the wings.

Anyway the all-important difference is that Broad-bodied Chasers are two-a-penny (almost) but Scarce Chasers are scarce enough to be listed in the British Red Data Book!

This could well be the first time Scarce Chaser has been seen on the Steyning Downland Scheme.

If you volunteer for us and like recording wildlife, do join the WhatsApp group

You never know what you might have inadvertently discovered!