The Isle of Wight is famed for its unique flora and fauna and this dragonfly species is one of the strangest examples.  Closely related to Aeshna cyanea, Aeshna ambulans (Müller, 1764) has lost the ability to fly.  It retains wings but they are thought to be no more than courtship paraphernalia, with the muscles inside the thorax having almost completely atrophied, allowing nothing more than an occasional, suggestive twitch.
Rarely able to catch the usual odonate fare, they have instead taken to preying on ground-dwelling invertebrates - worms and slugs being favourites but spiders and beetles are also taken.

For the people of Vectis who study Odonata, this carries a bonus in that there is always something to see, even when it is raining.
Emergence is usually on the ground, rather than on standing vegetation.  As a result, without being able to hang from the exuviae and take advantage of gravity, they can often be observed squirming around rather a lot ... a phenomenon known as the "Houdini manoeuvre".
On the island, the common name is Wight Walker and in folklore it is said that large numbers during the adult season foretell a long, hard winter.