076. Yellow Clubtail - Gomphus simillimus - European Dragonfly photo The Yellow Clubtail ( Gomphus simillimus ) is confined to the south-west of Europe and the north-west of Africa. There is little to easily distinguish the species but others in the family which are likely to overlap can be eliminated by their own particular characteristics. The Yellow [...]
087. Faded Pincertail - Onychogomphus costae - European Dragonfly photo The Faded Pincertail ( Onychogomphus costae ) is a rare species confined to Spain, Portugal and north-west Africa where it is probably most frequently found in Morocco. Dry regions are favoured where it can be seen along sandy edged rivers and streams. Its excellent camouflage colouration and [...]
159. Ringed Cascader - Zygonyx torridus - European Dragonfly photo Ringed Cascader ( Zygonyx torridus ) I can only quote from the Field Guide - ' .. a powerful and swift flier ... males patrol tirelessly over rapids ... seldom perches ... prefers breeding sites with very fast flowing water ... generally scarce in our area ' [...]
123. Long Skimmer - Orthetrum trinacria - European Dragonfly photo The Long Skimmer ( Orthetrum trinacria ) in contrast with the Small Skimmer - Orthetrum taeniolatum is something of a brute. It is large, aggressive and well known to prey upon other dragonflies. Common in tropical Africa its numbers reduce to the north and it arrived [...]
122. Small Skimmer - Orthetrum taeniolatum - European Dragonfly photo The Small Skimmer ( Orthetrum taeniolatum ) is the smallest member of its family but the all-blue males need careful scrutiny where it appears with other Orthetrum species, particularly the Keeled Skimmer - Orthetrum coerulescens. The island of Lesvos in the Aegean is about the most [...]
104. Yellow-spotted Emerald - Somatochlora flavomaculata - European Dragonfly photo The Yellow-spotted Emerald ( Somatachlora flavomaculata ) is an important species on Lesvos as it is declining throughout its range and only has small and widely separated populations towards the south. Confirming the behavioural comment in Dijkstra's Field Guide I duly found it flying along paths [...]
Paragomphus - Hooktails 090. Green Hooktail - Paragomphus genei - European Dragonfly photo The Green Hooktail ( Paragomphus genei ) was another species I had long waited to photograph properly but with small numbers in southern Spain and Portugal previous sightings had been tantalisingly short. I was surprised just how small it appeared. KEY I/D FEATURES : [...]
066. Lesser Emperor - Anax parthenope - UK - European Dragonfly photo The Lesser Emperor ( Anax parthenope ) is another species which has made a northwards expansion in its range and is now quite regularly seen in the UK with breeding first being recorded in 1999. It is widespread, being found south into the Sahara and as [...]
50. White Featherleg - Platycnemis latipes - European Dragonfly photo The White Featherleg ( Platycnemis latipes ) has a range which is confined to Iberia and Southern France where it can be numerous on larger, slow to moderately flowing rivers. It is aptly named the White Featherleg and the above photograph shows well the wide white [...]
31. Dainty Bluet - Dainty Damselfly - Coenagrion scitulum - UK -European Dragonfly photo The Dainty Bluet (Coenagrion scitulum) is a small damselfly as its English name suggests and one of the smallest of the Coenagrions. It is widespread and relatively common in France and areas of Iberia but it can be quite local. Its northward expansion in Europe included a [...]