The violet dropwing is a relatively new addition to the list of dragonflies found on the Maltese islands. It was first observed in Gozo in 2005 and was confirmed breeding on our shores in 2007.

This group of amazing insects was pretty much ignored by Maltese naturalists and foreign entomologists visiting the Maltese islands and little is known about the species that were present here in the past. It is thus difficult to say whether a dragonfly species was not included in past lists because it was overlooked or because it established itself only recently.

The violet dropwing is a common dragonfly and is found in most of Africa and the Middle East, in the Arabian Peninsula and in southern Europe.

In the late 1990s, like many other species of insects, it took advantage of global warming, and started to expand its range northwards. It established itself in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey and from these countries moved northwards to Central Europe.

Dragonfly watching is a fast-growing hobby in the US and Europe

It is a species that can live in a wide range of habitats, making it easier for the dragonfly to colonise new areas.

Dragonfly watching is a fast-growing hobby in the US and Europe. Dragonfly watchers are sometimes called dragon hunters or odonates (from Odonata which is the scientific name for dragonflies). Like birdwatchers, dragon hunters keep records of species seen and other information such as numbers and behaviour.

Many also take pictures of dragonflies and their habitats and often post them on the internet. During the past decade there has been a big growth in the number of sites dedicated to dragonflies which has made identification of these beautiful insects easier.

Dragonfly watching is creating a new kind of tourist who travels to find these amazing insects. Entrepreneurial dragonfly enthusiasts in Europe and the US have set up specialised travel agencies to organise trips to dragonfly-rich countries.

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