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A Darter and a beetle for ID please - UK (1 Viewer)

MTem

Well-known member
The Darter is from my pond in SE England, taken yesterday. Lots of Common Darters around but the yellow cast to the wings and the abdomen colour and pattern are unlike any others around ..... so just to be sure it's nothing else can someone more experienced determine please.

The mating beetles were taken in late August on the same pond. Again any help would be appreciated.

Mick

Edit: or is the dragonfly a 'teneral' Keeled skimmer - I see they have yellow-tinted wings?
 

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I think the Darter is an old female Common Darter. Certainly a Darter (only 7 cross veins before the wing node where Skimmers have many more). I think I can see yellow stripes on the black legs in the photo so Common not Ruddy. Wings often get yellowish with age.

O
 
Common Darters are very variable. This time of year Common Darter will be a large majority of what you see in most parts of the country, just because they keep flying later into the year than most species.
 
Thanks all. As you can gather I am an Odonata novice, so if it's not well described in Brooks, Lewis and Lewington then I'm likely to be stumped!
Mick
 
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