Sympetrum fonscolombei - Red-veined Darter - Sympétrum à nervures rouges

Description

The males of this species are bright red, a colour which extends into the wing veins, hence the common name. The wings are suffused with yellow near the base. In females the wing veins are yellowish but otherwise they are quite difficult to separate from other Sympetrum species. The pterostigma has a broad black border. They breed in lakes and other large, shallow water bodies and can often be found near rice paddies. On the wing from May through to November.

Male Red-veined Darter resting near to Lac du Salagou. Note the obvious, bright red veins in the wings.

Head-on view of male Red-veined Darter resting near to Lac du Salagou.

Female near Castelnau-de-Guers, Hérault, 11th September 2004

Observations

08/07/2004   About 10 males noted near Lac du Salagou, Hérault (34).

22/06/2006   Solitary male at Lac du Salagou (34).

29/04/2007   3-10 seen including pairs in cop and ovipositing at Lac du Salagou

22/05/2007   30-100 at Lac de Vésoles including pairs in wheel, tandem and ovipositing

24/05/2007   3-10 males seen at the Plan d'Eau at Lunas

24/05/2007   3-10 males near the River Orb at Hérépian

08/06/2007   1 female at the Scamandre reserve in the Petit Camargue

10/06/2007   Solitary female at the Parc Ornithologique, Pont de Gau in the Camargue

22/06/2007   3-10 males and females seen at the Lac de Vésoles

27/10/2007   Male seen in the Forêt de l'Usclade above Lamalou-les-Bains

10/07/2008   Male and female at the Plan d'eau near Lunas. Female quite tattered and worn.

16/05/2009   10-30 males and a few females including an ovipositing pair at the boating lake at Lunas (34).