Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies (Ischnura pumilio) were recorded on wetlands created through Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust’s Reviving the River Ash project in late summer, offering encouraging evidence of the value of restoring natural habitats for wildlife.

The discovery comes as The British Dragonfly Society publishes its latest review of the conservation status of Britain’s dragonflies and damselflies, A review of the Red List status of the Odonata of Great Britain 2026. The assessment updates the previous Odonata Red Data List, published in 2008, and identifies the extinction risk facing species across Great Britain.

Significantly, the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly has been moved from Near Threatened to Endangered, underlining the growing importance of protecting the habitats this species needs to survive. 

Roy Woodward, County Recorder for Odonata, Herts Natural History Society, said:

“The Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly records from the River Ash area came from two different 1km square areas which were being monitored although the ponds where they were found are actually quite close to each other.

“The species is known to breed in temporary habitats such as newly created, shallow ponds but the typically breeding habitat is shallow seepages including marshy areas at the edge of rivers and larger ponds and lakes. There is a seepage on the hill above the site where they were recorded and it is possible that they may have found that first and then spread from there to the ponds - although it is of course also possible that they have found the ponds first and may spread from there to the seepage.”

Dragonflies and damselflies depend on healthy freshwater habitats to complete their life cycles. Their presence can also provide valuable insights into the condition of wetlands and the wider environment. For species facing increasing pressure, creating and restoring suitable habitats is vital to reversing declines.

Sarah Perry, River s Recovery Manager at Herts and Middlesex Trust, said:

“We’re thrilled to see the new wetland areas attracting rare Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies and these recordings add to the promising results we are seeing from my baseline monitoring on the River Ash. We have already had a 177% and 30% increase in river invertebrates, including mayfly and stonefly at two sites on the river, monitored before and after restoration in just one year, and we are already recording Brown Trout spawning on the new gravels we introduced.

“Together, these examples show how river restoration projects like Reviving the River Ash are about more than improving the appearance of a watercourse. Natural rivers, connected floodplains and healthy wetlands support biodiversity, providing places for wildlife to feed and breed, they help water move through the landscape, and can contribute to resilience against both flooding and drought. They also provide places where local people can experience and connect with nature.”

Dragonflies and damselflies have been around for over 300 million years – longer than human beings – and are some of the earliest flying invertebrates on earth. The latest Red List assessment provides an important reminder that their future here depends on protecting existing habitats and restoring those that have been degraded. The Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly sightings along the River Ash offer a hopeful example of what these efforts can achieve.

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