David Element
Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images
____________________________________________________Dragonflies
and Damselflies 10 – Common Darters
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLIES Sympetrum striolatum (m,
f)
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY Sympetrum striolatum (m)
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY Sympetrum striolatum (m)
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLIES Sympetrum striolatum (m,
f)
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLIES Sympetrum striolatum (m,
f)
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLIES Sympetrum striolatum (m,
f)
COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLIES Sympetrum striolatum (m,
f)
·
The Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum is one of the most abundant, widespread and
familiar of British dragonflies. This insect is one of several similar members
of the same genus to be found in Europe. Probably the most likely confusion in
the UK will be with the Ruddy Darter S. sanguineum (illustrated elsewhere on these pages) although
the latter is absent from the North. Male Ruddy Darters have more conspicuously
tapered (club-shaped) abdomens, they are a deeper shade of red (when fully
mature) and their legs are completely black without any yellow stripes (see photographs
above illustrating these in Common Darters). There is also minimal yellow
clouding of the wing-bases of Common Darters. Females and teneral (fresh)
insects can be trickier to separate but in this case leg colour is particularly
useful. There are also significant differences between the black facial
markings of Sympetrum species but
these are unlikely to be seen clearly unless a dragonfly is photographed in
close-up or captured. Common Darters have a long flight period and if
conditions are favourable a few of the hardier individuals may remain active
until late November or December.
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