Hi there,

I am new to this forum, I was on the US forum for a while asking about clay in ponds & would it ever settle (it has!) I didn't realise it was the US forum until they started talking about racoons dredging up the bottom, oops! Still they were very nice.

Me & hubbie have just built a pond (about 9wks old now) about 16' x 10' x 2 - 5' Once he gets a shovel in his hand he just cant stop! Anyway the other day I saw a large flying insect, that was long fattish, sort of wasp coloured & shaped, but HUGE, about 3-4" long BUT had definate dragonfly type wings. It darted & hovered over the water for quite a bit before flying off. I would have said it was a dragonfly except for the colour & shape of the body. I live in North Yorkshire.

I know it's a bit like asking how long's a bit of string, I've worked with entomolgists before & you bascially have to know things like what colour was its kneecaps etc before they give you any sort of an answer. It's probably a common insect but I've never seen anything like it, it gave me quite a fright as it flew in over my shoulder! I've looked in a few books but can't find anything similar.

A rough guess would do me, any ideas?