David Element's Wildlife Web Page Dragonflies and Damselflies 6

David Element

Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images

___________________________________________________Dragonflies and Damselflies 6 - Red-veined Darters

RED-VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY Sympetrum fonscolombii (m)

The Red-veined Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum fonscolombii is a migrant species to the UK that may arrive in small numbers in the South Western counties during the late summer. Sometimes these dragonflies spread further inland, as happened in 1996. With the exception of the final photograph which was taken in London (painful on the knees!) these images were taken in southern France where this insect is very common. The first illustration is of a very beautifully marked maturing male with the red colours developing and the remaining photographs are of fully adult males. After some years of suspected sporadic breeding there is now substantiated evidence that this insect has begun to breed in Britain on a regular basis, albeit at a few select sites. Although this species is similar in appearance to other red darters, close examination will reveal the characteristically red (or yellow) venation and a blueish tint to the underside of the compound eyes. The flight is strong and usually some way away from the edge of the favoured lake or gravel pit. When this species does settle it seems to favour gravel paths or emergent vegetation. One matter of intrigue (and possibly associated either with the relative heat from the Sun or the angle of incident sunlight) is the preference of this species for settling on the ground rather than on vegetation in the UK.

A short film of male Red-veined Darter Dragonflies ‘in action’ may be seen at: https://youtu.be/X81W-J9tahY.