Scarce Chaser

Distribution: As its name suggests, is one of the UK’s rarer species: there are only six discrete populations all in south and south-east England. This is primarily a riverine insect its preference being for the mature floodplain/watermeadow stages, and Wiltshire is privileged in having one of these colonies along a stretch of the Bristol Avon from Melksham, downstream past Bradford upon Avon, and on into Somerset. Interestingly, it is not present along the whole section, there being some puzzling gaps; puzzling because, to the human eye, the stretches where they occur look the same as those on which they have not been found.

Identification: The male Scarce Chaser can be confused with the Black-tailed Skimmer and Broad Bodied Chaser as both have powder blue abdomens. However, the male broad bodied chaser is a rather more robust creature, it also has a large dark patch at the base of both wings, as well as no black tip to the abdomen. The Black tailed skimmer has no dark patch at the wing base. The female has a narrow abdomen with no yellow spots along it's side.

County Status: Currently only found on the river Avon.