The 8th European Congress of Odonatology (ECOO) took place in Teresin, Poland, from 22 June to 26 June 2026. Representing our department, Prof. Frank Suhling, Dr Diana Goertzen, Jolan Hogreve, Jette Söhnholz and Martin Soubelet travelled to the event to exchange the latest research findings with dragonfly experts from across Europe.
Set against the unique backdrop of a Polish monastery, Prof. Frank Suhling delivered a keynote speech on the impact of drought in aquatic habitats on the various developmental stages of dragonflies. Following this, our Bachelor’s student Jette Söhnholz presented the findings of her Bachelor’s thesis, in which she investigated the egg development of Sympetrum depressiusculum and for which she was recognised at the congress as a young researcher. A particular highlight of the ECOO this time was once again the full-day field trip, which included a visit to Kampinos National Park. There, participants gained insights into Poland’s dragonfly fauna, and the odonatologists were delighted. The conference was rounded off by lively discussions and talks on international collaboration for joint research projects, as well as plans for Europe-wide species monitoring. We are already looking forward to the next international conference, the ICO 2027!
