I still have to present the results of the inventory of Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crikets) and butterflies carried out last year in Boževce. But today, I’m going to tell you about a fantastic migratory species… and it’s not a bird!
The Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger) is in fact a dragonfly, capable of impressive migration!
Let me tell you about it. The story begins in tropical Africa (particularly in the Gulf of Guinea). There, during the monsoon season, between July and September, the vagrant emperor breeds in sunny, shallow ponds and marshes created by heavy rains. The female lays its eggs by inserting them into plant stems, rotting vegetation, or mud. The larva, which feeds on aquatic insects, develops in 2 to 3 months—a very rapid development for a dragonfly of this size, allowing it to colonize temporary environments.
As soon as they emerge, between September and November, the new generation of adults begins to migrate. Depending on the wind direction, they then reproduce in the rest of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India and sometimes in southern Europe. The third generation emerges at the end of winter and will migrate again. Driven by warm southerly winds, thousands of Vagrant Emperor can then be observed in Europe in spring. The migration abilities of this species are exceptional, and it has even been reported in Iceland, Guyana, the Caribbean and Japan! The Vagrant Emperor is therefore a migratory dragonfly that reaches our territories via favourable winds. At the beginning of the dragonfly observation season (March-May), the individuals observed have migrated from their African birthplace. On the other hand, the individuals that would be observed in September or October could have been born in Europe. However, this species cannot survive the winter in Europe, and it is likely that the latest generation of dragonflies will return south, although this has never been formally demonstrated.
Left: Vagrant Emperor can fly for hours without stopping (CC-BY-SA, Broobas) ; Right : World map of observation of Vagrant Emperor
The vagrant emperor is not observed every year in Europe. Indeed, the extent of its migrations depends on the strength of the African monsoons, and therefore its reproduction in tropical Africa, and on the direction of the winds. Nevertheless, observations and waves of migration have become increasingly frequent in recent years, due to climate change, which favours this tropical species. It is also possible that the vagrant emperor will eventually be able to survive and reproduce in winter in southern Europe.
And in Boževce? On March 16, 2025, the sun was shining, and temperatures had been mild for several days due to persistent southerly winds. And under this perfect weather for the migration of the vagrant emperor, I was able to observe five individuals of this species, witnesses of the current global climate crisis.
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