WHITE-faced darter dragonflies have again emerged in very good numbers at Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in south Cumbria.

The dragonfly has been re-introduced to the nature reserve from 2010 onwards, after over half a century of being extinct at the site.

Larvae have been translocated from another peat bog in Cumbria to create this new population, which seems set to become one of only four significant sites for the species in England.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Reserve Officer, Simon Thomas said: "This species takes two years to grow from egg to adult insect. Its aquatic larvae are obviously thriving in the many pools we have created during our major bog restoration work.

“We have been running this re-introduction project for several seasons, and the new colony at Foulshaw Moss now seems to be becoming self-sustaining."

The re-introduction is the first ever attempted with this specialist peatland species and is being carried out in collaboration with the British Dragonfly Society.

Dave Smallshire, convenor of the society's Dragonfly Conservation Group said: "This is great news. White-faced darters are endangered in England, so it is good that they are taking off so well at their new home ".

Visitors to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve, near Witherslack, may be lucky and encounter the species on sunny days – perhaps basking on the boardwalk or at the large pond, during June and early July.

Over many years, Foulshaw Moss was damaged by conifer planting, drainage and peat cutting. It became a Nature Reserve of Cumbria Wildlife Trust in 1998.

It has taken the trust 15 years to restore the 350-hectare lowland raised mire, which has made it one of the most exciting examples of lowland raised mire in the UK, providing homes to a rich and increasingly diverse range of wildlife. Entry to the reserve is free, but access is currently restricted to two paths now the site has become boggy.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust has an appeal for donations towards installing boardwalks to provide safe access, protect delicate habitats from trampling, and to install new information signs. To donate to the appeal visit http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey-foulshaw-moss-appeal.