Dragonfly ID please uk (1 Viewer)

[alandawn]

Hi

Some help needed on these dragonflies Ids, small red first 2, common Hawker or southern hawker, other 2 no idea

Only just getting into dragonflies so I apologise for my lack of knowledge

seen today in Norfolk

Many thanks in advance

Alan

 

[Essex Tern]

I too am a novice, but found a dead dragonfly in my garden today so dug out my ID insight cards for the Dragonflies of Great Britain, which I would recommend - mine was a Golden-Ringed Dragonfly.

I think your's may be Common Darter male (red) and female (the yellow brown one), and I think Southern Hawker too.

 

[Phil Carter]

I too am a novice, but found a dead dragonfly in my garden today so dug out my ID insight cards for the Dragonflies of Great Britain, which I would recommend - mine was a Golden-Ringed Dragonfly.

I think your's may be Common Darter male (red) and female (the yellow brown one), and I think Southern Hawker too.

I think 1,2, Common Darter 3, Southern Hawker, 4,5, Ruddy Darter.


I think Golden-ringed would be a damned good record for Essex, do you have any pics?

Phil

 

[Essex Tern]

Not sure on my ID now, maybe as it is dead the colouring has gone a bit wonky on this one, but here's a picture - probably find out it's a Southern Hawker now?!

 

[Phil Carter]

Think it is Southern Hawker.

Phil

 

[pdwinter]

Agree with all Phil's IDs.

 

[Swindon Addick]

The dead one has very-broad stripes on the top of the thorax, which are a giveaway for southern hawker. You're right about the colours going wonky after they die.

We all start off as novices (in my case it was at the start of last summer). Dragonflies are a very rewarding group to get into because the commoner species are relatively easy to get the hang of. The key thing I did, at the end of last summer, was to invest in the Wildguides book - Britain's Dragonflies by Smallshire and Swash. It's got multiple photos of all the species, which is really helpful with things like common darter which are highly variable, plus lots of other info that's helpful with ID and tons of ecological info - it's the only ID book I possess which is actually a decent read if you just sit down and read it cover to cover. The book highlights the key differences between the species in a way that the ID cards don't really have room for.

Anyway, welcome to the fascinating world of dragonflies, both of you.

 

[alandawn]

Many Thanks for all your quick responses, will have to see if I can get the book Swindon Addick, Its always good to get a book that is recommended

 

[Essex Tern]

Glad I managed to ID my dead Dragonfly on second attempt :t:

Just out of interest, what are the main pointers that identified the Ruddy from Common on pictures 4 & 5 - I think the all black legs may be one, but are there any other obvious tips for the future for me and the OP please?

That book sounds like a good thing that I may have to look out for, thanks for the heads up on that title.

 

[pdwinter]

Just out of interest, what are the main pointers that identified the Ruddy from Common on pictures 4 & 5 - I think the all black legs may be one, but are there any other obvious tips for the future for me and the OP please?

There is the Dragonfly ID Pointers sticky thread http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=39267 in this forum.

What identified the dragonfly in pic 4 to me as (female) Ruddy Darter rather than Common Darter was
(1) Black legs (Common have stripes)
(2) Black down side of frons (only along top in Common)
(3) Dark T on thorax (but female Common Darter can show this)
(4) Plain top to thorax (but female Common Darters can loose their shoulder stripes)

However, after step 2 (1?) I would be eliminating Black Darter which has a dark triangle on top of the thorax, different pattern to the side of the thorax - black panel enclosing three yellow spots, and a lot more black along the side of the abdomen.

Which features are useful to you depend on the angle you can get to view the dragonfly - and they are usually awkward. The vulvar scale in a Common is much more obvious than that on a Ruddy but if you can only get views from above then it's a useless discriminator! Of course, if you're in a position to view the vulvar scale then there's a good chance you have good views of legs which are a much easier discriminator.

HTH, Paul

 

[Essex Tern]

Thank you very much, I will certainly bookmark that thread.

Thanks also for the ID pointers in these particular pictures.