In 1995 and 1997 Dartmoor National Park Authority staff discovered two southern damselfly colonies.

As the numbers of this insect had dropped dramatically, this was a great find for the moors. Since then the authority has devoted time to preserving the species and helping it increase its numbers.

During 2002 research was carried out by the authority on how to best encourage the damselfly and its habitat and, from that, has come the 'Southern Damselfly Project.'

It's a collaboration between the Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Environment Agency which will hopefully swell the number of damselflies on Dartmoor and change the habitats to help.

The scheme amounts to £18,000 pounds a year over three years and is also being helped by Dartmoor Commoners, landowners and Liverpool University.

Heathland is under threat and is damaging damselfly numbers

Nationally, the southern damselfly breeds in heathland and chalk streams, culm grassland and calcareous mires.

Suitable habitat is threatened due to insufficient grazing and inappropriate heathland management, including deepening of shallow breeding streams, drainage, abstraction and eutrophication (nutrient enrichment from nitrates and phosphates).

For Dartmoor and the wider country this species is a vital one to help.

“The southern damselfly is a priority species in both the Dartmoor and UK Biodiversity Action Plans," said Norman Baldock, ecologist for the Dartmoor National Park Authority.

"Its future is under threat if work isn’t done to safeguard it."

The authority has subsequently worked in conjunction with landowners and the Environment Agency carrying out extensive habitat management, survey and monitoring to ensure the continued existence of the damselflies.”

It's a large scale project with many objectives that hopes to build on work already carried out.

Shallow streams are vital to the damselfly

“Successful work has already been carried out to increase the size of both colonies," said Roger Goulding from the Environment Agency.

"Now a programme of academic research and monitoring will aim to make further improvements and encourage a beneficial land management regime.

"The work will include assessing how many damselflies live at both sites, where they are breeding, and adjacent areas which might, with some work, become suitable breeding grounds.”

The 2.5 centimetre long damselfly is similar in appearance to a small dragonfly, except it holds its wings together above its body when at rest.

Damselflies breed near lakes, ponds and watercourses as their nymphs live in water. It is believed that 25 per cent of the global population of the southern damselfly occurs in the UK.