The rare Scarce Emerald Damselfly has been found in Suffolk following the expansion of a wildlife site.

The insect, believed to have been extinct in the early 1980s, has been found thriving in the restored Market Weston Fen, near Thetford.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which manages the fen, said the 47-acre expansion of the site led to discovery. Populations of the rare damselfly have previously been found to exist in Essex, Norfolk and Kent.

Market Weston Fen, along the river Little Ouse is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Steve Aylward, of the trust, said: “Market Weston Fen has undergone a huge amount of restoration over the years and we are now beginning to reap the rewards – we are delighted that new species has turned up.”

It is usually found within the dense vegetation of shallow pools and drainage channels. On the coastal and estuarine marshes in Kent and Essex populations also use the borrow dykes, as well as ditches and marsh pools. Lakes or ponds that are near the end of their natural cycle, supporting dense vegetation, are particularly suitable and breeding sites always appear to be well vegetated with submerged and emergent vegetation.

The Scarce Emerald Damselfly can also be found in seasonal water bodies, which may be subject to a temporary drying out period at the height of summer.