099. Blue-eyed Goldenring - Cordulegaster insignis - European Dragonfly photo This Blue-eyed Goldenring ( Cordulegaster insignis ) was photographed in Western Turkey near the small mountain stream shown below after a very strenuous hike. KEY I/D FEATURES Although this is the only Goldenring - Cordulegaster species to be found mainly with blue eyes in some [...]
086. Dark Pincertail - Onychogomphus assimilis - European Dragonfly photo The Dark Pincertail ( Onychogomphus assimilis ) can only be found in Europe along the Turkish coast where it is confined to very fast flowing mountain streams. It is another large species, somewhat more so than the Small Pincertail - Onychogomphus forcipatus. It often rests on [...]
083. Large Pincertail - Onychogomphus uncatus- European Dragonfly photo The Large Pincertail ( Onychogomphus uncatus ) is certainly a favourite species due to its imposing size and markings. Care has to be taken with identification to separate it from the Small Pincertail ( Onychogomphus forcipatus ) where the two species overlap in Spain, France and Italy. The [...]
079. Western Clubtail - Gomphus pulchellus - European Dragonfly photo The Western Clubtail ( Gomphus pulchellus ) is another Gomphid which is confined to south-western Europe. It is not uncommon, favouring slower or even still waters and it appears quite dull at a distance. KEY I/D FEATURES Males are much less club-tailed than other Gomphids with hardly [...]
075. Pronged Clubtail - Gomphus graslinii - European Dragonfly photo The Pronged Clubtail ( Gomphus graslinii ) is only found in France, Spain and Portugal and is a species which can be found somewhat later in the season, from June until August, when compared to other Gomphids which may be at the same site. The slower stretches of larger rivers [...]
074. Turkish Clubtail - Gomphus schneiderii - European Dragonfly photo The Turkish Clubtail ( Gomphus schneiderii ) in Turkey is the counterpart to the Common Clubtail - Gomphus vulgatissimus which it strongly resembles. It breeds in large lakes such as Lake Koycegiz in Western Turkey shown below. KEY I/D FEATURES Males are somewhat smaller and have thinner [...]
067. Vagrant Emperor - Anax ephippiger - UK - European Dragonfly photo The Vagrant Emperor ( Anax ephippiger ) as its name implies is a species which wanders far. It is mainly found in the dryer regions of Asia and Africa and only rarely further than the edge of the Mediterranean into central Europe. It is the [...]
064. Blue Emperor - Emperor Dragonfly - Anax imperator - UK - European Dragonfly photo The Blue Emperor - Emperor Dragonfly ( Anax imperator ) is yet another species which made a rapid northerly extension of its breeding range in the U K during the 1980's. It was then known simply as the Emperor Dragonfly and [...]
056. Brown Hawker - Aeshna grandis - UK - European Dragonfly photo The Brown Hawker ( Aeshna grandis ) is perhaps the most easily identifiable Hawker in flight and was one of the first that I remember. In the 1970's in a similar way to my finding the Blue Hawker - Southern Hawker ( Aeshna cyanea ) I [...]
49. Orange Featherleg - Platycnemis acutipennis - European Dragonfly photo The Orange Featherleg ( Platycnemis acutipennis ) is confined to France and Iberia but where found it is common. On first encountering this species its colouring doesn't suggest it being a member of that family but it is certainly a very attractive damselfly. It can occur [...]