They survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and several ice ages but can they adapt to the increasing pressures placed on them by mankind?

That is the big question being posed by conservationists who want to hear reports of dragonflies and damselflies in Oxfordshire.

In the late spring and early summer, dragonflies and damselflies begin to make an appearance. The British Dragonfly Society will be in the third of five years of its Dragonflies in Focus project, recording the geographical distribution of the various species which occur across this country.

The society is hoping that more people will send in reports of dragonflies and damselflies they see in their local countryside and in their own gardens.

For Oxfordshire, there are several species in which there is a special interest, says Brian Walker, who lives in Wantage, and is the society’s treasurer.

The information gathered will be used as a baseline to monitor changes in populations, which may be due to pollution, climate change, habitat loss or competition. Many species are endangered, and others are making climate-related changes of location.

Dragonflies is a collective term to include both dragonflies and damselflies: dragonflies are typically smaller and more delicate, holding their wings above their bodies when at rest, the damselflies are larger and more robust and, at rest, hold their wings spread open.

“They have survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and several ice ages — but can dragonflies survive the increasing pressures imposed by mankind?” asks Katharine Parkes, BDS conservation officer.

“Understanding where and how quickly they are moving will help us plan for the future with particular regard to the way in which conservation is carried out. It will be very important to make sure that we are providing our wildlife with the best opportunities to react to changes.

“Anyone can get involved: look for them near water on a sunny day from April to late October.”

Mr Walker said that Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties had some good dragonfly populations and a good spread of species, although Oxfordshire itself lacked much in the way of heathland and hence lacked the specialists associated with that habitat.

The River Thames is the main focus of dragonfly interest in the county and it is nationally important for the club-tailed dragonfly.

“This is an important species in Oxfordshire, and in this country. We have records from pre-2000 and we need to check whether it is still seen in those areas. It is one that people want to see, because it is so rare,” he said.

“The River Thames is important for the white-legged damselfly, and it also occurs on a number of rivers that feed into it, such as the River Cherwell.

“It requires flowing water with fairly lush riverside vegetation. It is more widely found than the club-tailed dragonfly.”

Also more common and widespread is the blue-tailed damselfly. If dragonflies are found close to water, then this species is likely to be present. As well as by rivers, it will be found in ponds and streams.

One damselfly found in Oxfordshire is of particular conservation interest. This is the southern damselfly, which has occurred at Dry Sandford for at least ten years.

“Whether this is a relict population or has been introduced here at some time is an interesting question,” said Mr Walker.

“The species has contracted its range in the last 30 years, but this site is a long way from any other, with the nearest population being in the New Forest. DNA studies suggest that the individuals are closely related, and this has prompted a view that it may have been introduced, either deliberately or accidentally.

“We will probably never know for certain, but it is interesting to have this population and the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is putting in effort to conserve it.

“The species is in decline globally, and although the UK is at the extreme north-west of its range, it is believed that this country holds 25 per cent of the global population. It is a key species for the society, and classified as rare in the Red Data Book.”

Mr Walker added that there had been some major changes in UK dragonfly populations in the last few years.

He said: “The small red-eyed damselfly, which had been spreading on the continent was found in Essex in 1999, and has subsequently established itself and spread further westward into England. There appears to have been a separate arrival on the Isle of Wight that has been slower to expand, but there have now been a number of records from southern counties. These include records in Oxfordshire, but it is unclear whether there is yet an established breeding population.”

In August 2008, willow emerald damselflies were found at a site in Suffolk, and a number of other sites in the same area. This is one of several continental species thought to have a possibility of expanding into Britain, so sightings of any of these will cause much interest.

Dragonflies and damselflies are divided into generalists, with a range of habitat-types; and specialists, those with very specific habitat requirements.

“Generalists are mostly doing quite well at the moment, and a number of current distributions in the south are expanding their range northwards,” said Mr Walker.

“Specialists are not doing quite so well, probably because their habitats tend to be restricted and fragmented.”

Forty years ago this country had 42 species; two or three have since been lost, so the information gathered by the Dragonflies in Focus project will be important to help ensure that no more disappear.

“We welcome all records,” said Mr Walker. “So if people have records from their garden, that is very useful.

“There may well be dragonflies and damselflies at ponds in your garden and in the local park.

“It is sunshine and a reasonable temperature that encourages them to emerge from the vegetation where they have been hidden. They will be looking for sunshine to warm them. Insects are cold-blooded, so need the sun to become active. They can go on until November, depending upon the weather.”

Details required for reports of sightings include the date, site, with OS grid reference, description of the type of habitat, the weather conditions, the altitude of the site, and any specific information about the behaviour of the dragonfly. Binoculars will help observers to see specific markings for identification of the species, and a photograph is useful for confirming this.

Reports can be sent to the Dragonflies in Focus project officer, Stephen Prentice, at stephenprentice@naturalengland.org.uk The British Dragonfly Society’s website is www.dragonflysoc.org.uk