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 in southern Spain in 1980 where it is still scarce.

KEY I/D FEATURES :

My teneral male and female photographs give an indication of size and show the smart black and yellow markings on the long, thin abdomen. The bulb shaped bottom to the first abdominal segments is reminiscent of the Slender Skimmer – Orthetrum sabina.   Large pale yellow and black bordered pterostigma show clearly in the photos.