English abstract

The species monitoring programme meetnetten.be aims at collecting reliable information on priority species in Flanders. It consists of a series of monitoring schemes which were designed by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). Species are counted by volunteers in a standardized way under the coordination of the NGO Natuurpunt.

This report shows the first results of the dragonfly monitoring schemes for the period 2016 - 2020. The Crescent Bluet (Coenagrion lunulatum) and the Spotted Darter (Sympetrum depressiusculum) show a decrease in abundance and the Yellow-spotted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia pectoralis) shows a strong decrease in abundance. On the other hand, the River Clubtail (Gomphus flavipes) shows a strong increase in abundance between 2016 and 2020.

For other priority dragonfly species we are not able to detect a trend yet. The continuation of this monitoring project will enable us to detect future patterns. This is the case for following species: the Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo), the Spearhead Bluet (Coenagrion hastulatum), the Variable Bluet (Coenagrion pulchellum), the Green-eyed Hawker (Aeshna isoceles), the Common Clubtail (Gomphus vulgatissimus) and the Lilypad Whiteface (Leucorrhinia caudalis).