Recovery and further protection of rheophilic Odonata in the Netherlands and North Rhine- Westphalia

Ketelaar, R., 2010. Recovery and further protection of rheophilic Odonata in the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia. Brachytron 12 (1/2): 38-49. Abstract This article describes and discusses the current distribution of lotic dragonflies in The Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia. Combined distribution maps of seven species are published: Calopteryx splendens, C. virgo, Cordulegaster bidentata, C. boltonii, Ophiogomphus cecilia, Gomphus flavipes and G. vulgatissimus. It is concluded that most dragonflies of running waters are recovering since 1990. Although the trend is undoubtedly positive, some species are still very rare and threatened, especially Coenagrion mercuriale, C. ornatum and Cordulegaster bidentata. The European Habitat Directive will provide new activities for the protection of these species. However, more promising seems to be the Water Framework Directive. To make further recovery of these species possible cooperation of odonatologists is necessary, the exchange of distribution data is a first step.