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 through the extensive reed bed at Dipi Larisos Marsh on the northern edge of the Geras Gulf. One male I watched occupied a short territory and flew constantly for nearly four hours – hence the in-flight photograph !

KEY I/D FEATURES

As its English name implies, the key distinguishing feature in both sexes is the yellow spots along the lower sides of the abdomen. Those on Segments 2 and 3 are large. The yellow colour is more marked in younger individuals and darkens with age to become almost lost in mature dragonflies.