Broad-Bodied Chaser

This distinctive, stout dragonfly can be seen in late spring and early summer around our lakes and ponds. The male has a predominantly dusty blue abdomen and the female is a beautiful golden colour. Fortunately, while its pond habitats are often destroyed, it readily colonises new sites.

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Stag Beetle

This magnificent beetle is Britain’s largest and is, sadly, quite scarce now. The male’s huge ‘antlers’ are in fact overgrown mandibles (jaws) for courtship display and are generally too large and unwieldy for the beetle to be able to bite with them.

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Elephant Hawk-Moth

This stunning moth resembles the colours of its caterpillars’ favourite foodplants, willow herbs, and can sometimes be seen resting among the foliage of these plants during the day in early summer.

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Common Blue Damselfly

Common Blue Damselflies can be seen throughout the main College grounds, but especially over and around Swan Lake, where they often emerge in their hundreds.

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Keeled Skimmer

This dragonfly prefers a habitat with water and acid peat, such as our SSSI, where they can be seen on the wing throughout the summer.

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