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

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum.

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

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum.

BROWN HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Aeshna grandis) [Pair copulating, only the male has a blue tint to the eyes and blue marking on S2 of the abdomen] Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Aeshna.

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

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

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

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

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
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

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Brachytron pratense) male, Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
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

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER / FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER (Libellula quadrimaculata) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. This common and widespread species occurs in the temperate regions of Eurasia. 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

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY [Female] (Brachytron pratense) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
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.  
This close up view of a freshly emerged female clearly demonstrates where it got its English name from.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY [Female] (Brachytron pratense) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
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

RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum fonscolombii) female resting on COMMON KNAPWEED (Centaurea nigra) seed head, Togher Pond, Simonstown, Togher, Co. Louth, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Red-veined Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It has a widespread distribution and is commonly found in Africa, Western, Central and Southern Asia as well as most of Europe. This species is nomadic by nature and since the 1990’s has greatly expanded its European range as far north as southern Scandinavia.  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

SCARLET DARTER DRAGONFLY [Male] (Crocothemis erythraea) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Scarlet Darter Dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a member of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Crocothemis. It is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa as well as western Asia as far as southern China. The adult male’s bright scarlet red abdomen has a striking flattened profile which distinguishes it from other "red" darters. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.

RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY [Male] (Sympetrum fonscolombii) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Red Veined Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is a member of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It has a wide spread distribution and is commonly found in Africa, western, central and southern Asia as well as most of Europe. This species is nomadic by nature and since the 1990’s has greatly expanded its European range as far north as southern Scandinavia.  

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY [Male] (Sympetrum fonscolombii) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Red Veined Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is a member of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It has a wide spread distribution and is commonly found in Africa, western, central and southern Asia as well as most of Europe. This species is nomadic by nature and since the 1990’s has greatly expanded its European range as far north as southern Scandinavia.  

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

BANDED DEMOISELLE DAMSELFLY (Male) (Calopteryx splendens subspecies C. s. cretensis) Kaminia River, Nikiforos Fokas, Rethymno, Crete, Greece

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click here for detailed species information

The Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) is a large damselfly in the family Calopterygidae. The range of this Eurasia species extends in a wide band from the Atlantic coast of Ireland eastwards to north western China but is absent from the colder northern regions. In Europe, it doesn’t occur in Iceland, northern Scandinavia, northern Russia or the Iberian Peninsula. Like all species of damselflies and dragonflies the major part of its life cycle is spent as an aquatic nymph. From late April to October (May to August in northern areas) it is on the wing, frequenting streams and rivers edged with aquatic plants which are used for egg laying and roosting. It has a widespread distribution and a number of races are recognised including Calopteryx splendens cretensis which is endemic to the Greek island of Crete.
  

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WHITE TAILED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Female) (Orthetrum albistylum) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

See below for detailed species information

The White-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum albistylum) is a Eurasian species of dragonfly. It occurs in a wide band which stretches across central and parts of southern Europe from France in the west to Japan in eastern Asia. This medium sized dragonfly has a patchy distribution but can be locally common. Warmer summers as a result of climate change has seen this species, in common with some other dragonflies, expanded its range further north in Europe.  Care needs to be taken when identifying this species as it can be easily confused with its more common relative and very similar looking Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum). It is on the wing from late May to early September. Text © www.rawbirds.com

EMPEROR DRAGONFLY (Anax imperator) male, Las Penitas, Barranco de las Penitas, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information
  

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 including Fuerteventura where it is encountered in lush valleys and gardens. 

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LESSER EMPEROR DRAGONFLY (Anax parthenope) female, Poda Nature Reserve, Burgas, Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information

 The Lesser Emperor Dragonfly (Anax) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Anax.

MIGRANT HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Aeshna mixta) Hutchinson's Strand Road, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co Dublin, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

BLACK DARTER DRAGONFLY or BLACK MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum danae) female Abbeyleix Bog (Killamuck Bog), Co. Laois, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information

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

BLACK DARTER DRAGONFLY or BLACK MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum danae) male Abbeyleix Bog, (Killamuck Bog), Co. Laois, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information

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