Taxonomy
Sympetrum fonscolombii | Red-veined Darter | Sciobaire Deargfhéitheach
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
Ireland: Not Assessed
EU: Least Concern
Native status
Irregular and rare migrant
Species Biology
Identification
Length: 38-40mm
Wingspan: 58mm
Mature males are blood red in colour, unwaisted abdomen. Colour intensifies as the male matures. Face is red and sides of the thorax can be blue-grey and yellow. The wings have a pale red/yellow-orange pterostigma and are outlined in black. Both sexes have bicoloured eyes, reddish-brown on top and blue on the underside.
Females have a yellow abdomen with two black lines
either side, their wing veins are yellow. Male wing veins are red. Immature
males are similar to females but only have a single black line either side of
abdomen.
Adult habitat & habits
Territorial dragonfly. Fast flyer, can reach up to 56km per hour.
Habitat
In Ireland adults have been seen in coastal wetlands e.g.
small sand dune pools, flooded sandpits and densely vegetated marshes with reed
beds. Its preferred habitat is an exposed, sunny shallow standing water body
with sparse emergent and marginal vegetation.
Flight period
June to October, sometimes May, and/or early
November
Life cycle
Larvae are short and squat with long legs that stretch beyond the end of the abdomen. They develop and emerge within the same year.
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2023
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