Bog Hawker (Aeshna subarctica)
• English name: Bog Hawker
• German name: Hochmoor-Mosaikjungfer
• French name: Aeschne subarctique
• Dutch name: Noordse glazenmaker
• Swedish name: Gungflymosaikslända
• Norwegian name: Torvmoseøyenstikker
• Finnish name: Suoukonkorento
• Danish name: Højmose-mosaikguldsmed
• Italian name: Dragone artico
• Czech name: šídlo rašelinné
• Slovenian name: Mahovna deva
• Bulgarian name: Торфен пъстролет
Bog Hawker
(Aeshna subarctica)
Not present
Present before 1990
Present after 1990
Present before and after 1990
Present after 2015
Map data based on J.-P. Boudot & V. J. Kalkman (eds.),
Atlas of the European Dragonflies and Damselflies
| General | • a very large species of northern and north-eastern Europe, which elsewhere occurs only at high altitudes | |
| Classification | • suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Aeshnidae | |
| Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern | |
| Scientific name | • Aeshna subarctica Walker, 1908 | |
| Name genus | • Aeshna: of uncertain origin | |
| Name species | • subarctica: from Lat. sub- = below +; arcticus, -a, -um = arctic ⇒ denotes the area below the arctic circle as the species' range | |
| Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
| Habitat | • lakes and ponds in peat bogs and moors | |
| Dimensions | • typical body length: 70-76 mm; hindwing: 39-46 mm | |
| Notes | • females oviposit on waterlogged, floating mats of peatmoss (Sphagnum sp.) | |
| • may be very difficult to tell apart from A. juncea, with which it often flies together, but its yellow and blue colours tend to be more muted | ||
| • aeshnids are 'fliers': they spend a lot of time on the wing and seldom hang up for a rest | ||
| Both sexes | Head | ➤ unlike in the very similar A. juncea there is never a yellow spot immediately behind the eye |
| ➤ unlike in the very similar A. juncea the line across the face widens at the base of the eye | ||
| Thorax | • the thorax is brown with two wide pale bands on the side | |
| Wings | • the costa (i.e. the leading edge of the wing) is brown | |
| Male | Thorax | • the narrow antehumeral stripe is pale (yellow or blue) |
| Abdomen | • the abdomen is dark brown with pale spots | |
| Female | Thorax | • the greatly reduced antehumeral stripe is yellow |
| Abdomen | • the abdomen is dark brown with pale yellow or blue spots | |
| Photographs | • our photographs below were made in northern Italy, Finland and Germany |
LineDrawing: the male's abdomen in dorsal view, and the male's head, thorax and abdomen in lateral view: light form and dark form.
