Blue Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)

• English name: Blue Hawker
• German name: Blaugrüne Mosaikjungfer
• French name: Aeschne bleue
• Dutch name: Blauwe glazenmaker
• Swedish name: Blågrön mosaikslända
• Norwegian name: Blågrønn øyenstikker
• Finnish name: Kirjoukonkorento
• Danish name: Blå mosaikguldsmed
• Italian name: Dragone verdeazzurro
• Czech name: šídlo modré
• Slovenian name: Zelenomodra deva
• Bulgarian name: Петнист пъстролет

Blue Hawker
(Aeshna cyanea)

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 central Europe; rare in northern Scandinavia and in the south-west and south-east of Europe
Classification		• suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Aeshnidae
Conservation status		• IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern
Scientific name		• Aeshna cyanea (Müller, 1764)
Name genus		• Aeshna: of uncertain origin
Name species		• cyanea: from Lat. cyaneus, -a, -um = sea-blue ⇒ for the blue spots on the male's abdomen
Distribution		• click or tap the Map button above
Habitat		• very small and shaded ponds, including garden ponds
Dimensions		• typical body length: 67-76 mm; hindwing: 43-53 mm
Notes		• males tend to be very inquisitive and will often fly up to an observer to check them out
		• the only European Aeshna species with uninterrupted coloured bands on S9 and S10; in all other species those bands are interrupted by a dark dorsal line - see below for details
		• aeshnids are 'fliers': they spend a lot of time on the wing and seldom hang up for a rest
Both sexes	Thorax	• in immature animals all light-coloured parts on the thorax are beige
	Abdomen	➤ the coloured bands on S9 and S10 (sky blue in the male, light green in the female) are uninterrupted
		• in immature animals all light-coloured parts on the abdomen are beige
Male	Head	• the eyes have a blue spot on top
	Thorax	• the thorax is light green with two dark lines on the side; the antehumeral stripe is light green
	Abdomen	• the abdomen is dark brown with sky-blue and light-green spots
Female	Thorax	• the thorax is light green with two dark lines on the side; the antehumeral stripe is light green
	Abdomen	• the abdomen is dark brown with light-green spots
Photographs		• most of our photos below were made in Tuscany and Bavaria