Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Showing posts with label Dragonflies of Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dragonflies of Europe. Show all posts

Friday 17 June 2022

KEELED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum coerulescens) or HEATLAND SKIMMER DRAGONFLY male and a LARGE RED DAMSELFLY or SPRING RED EYE DAMSELFLY (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) male in the foreground at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly information
Click external link here for detailed Large Red Damselfly information

 The Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum coerulescens) or Heathland Skimmer Dragonfly is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Orthetrum. This small to medium sized dragonfly commonly occurs in Europe, Western Asia as well as parts of North Africa. 
In Ireland it has a more patchy distribution and is uncommon. Although in western regions it is more abundant, as is the case in Britain. The main flight season is from June to August.
The Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) or Spring Red Eye Damselfly is of the family Coenagrionidae which is in the genus Pyrrhosoma. It is a common and widespread species in Europe as well as parts of Western Asia and North Africa. In Ireland, the flight season can extends from mid April into October.
 In recent times, the english names for most European species of damselflies and dragonflies have been changed. Here the older name is used first, to reflect common useage, follow by the new name.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Rawbirds 

Thursday 5 August 2021

BLACK DARTER DRAGONFLY or BLACK MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum danae) female, Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Black Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It occurs in northern Eurasia as well as parts of North America where it is know as Black Meadowhawk Dragonfly. The flight season is from July to September.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 28 July 2021

KEELED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum coerulescens) male Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum coerulescens) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Orthetrum.

Tuesday 27 July 2021

KEELED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum coerulescens) female Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum coerulescens) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Orthetrum.

Monday 26 July 2021

Friday 9 July 2021

EMPEROR DRAGONFLY (Anax imperator) male Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 
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The Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) or Blue Emperor Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Anax. This large and powerful species is a voracious predator of other flying insects. Prey items including medium sized dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and other flying invertebrates are captured on the wing but it tends to avoid predating bees, wasps and hard shelled flying insects such as beetles. Probably as a result of climate change, in the last 20 years or so it has greatly expanded its range north ward. Now relatively common throughout the Western Palearctic, excluding Iceland and the vast majority of Scandinavia. In the Eastern Atlantic it occurs on all the Macaronesian Islands. The first report for Ireland was from Co. Wexford in August 2000.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 9 June 2021

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is also found in North America where it is known as the Four-spotted Skimmer. The flight season is from mid April to early September. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 3 June 2021

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Brachytron pratense) male, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed species information

The Hairy Hawker Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Brachytron. Alternative names include Hairy Dragonfly and Spring Hawker. It has a scattered distribution in Europe and parts of western Asia. It is absent from Iceland and other northern latitudes. In the warmer part of its range, it is on the wing from late March to early August but has a shorter flight season elsewhere.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 4 January 2021

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Brachytron pratense) female, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


 


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Click here for detailed species information

The Hairy Hawker Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Brachytron. Alternative names include Hairy Dragonfly and Spring Hawker. It has a scattered distribution in Europe and parts of western Asia. It is absent from Iceland and other northern latitudes. In the warmer part of its range, it is on the wing from late March to early August but has a shorter flight season elsewhere.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 12 December 2020

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click here for detailed species information
 
The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is also found in North America where it is known as the Four-spotted Skimmer. The flight season is from mid April to early September. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 12 October 2020

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 
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Click here for detailed species information
 
The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is also found in North America where it is known as the Four-spotted Skimmer. The flight season is from mid April to early September. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 14 September 2020

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) with prey Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click here for detailed species information
 
The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is also found in North America where it is known as the Four-spotted Skimmer. The flight season is from mid April to early September. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 1 September 2020

COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum striolatum) [Female] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. This is the commonest dragonfly that occurs throughout Eurasia. In the southern part of its range the flight season is year round. In Britain and Ireland it is on the wing from June to late October. Separate with care from the very similar Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) which has all black legs and a slightly tapered mid abdomen.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds