• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Western or Eastern Willow Spreadwing in Sicily - ID help needed (1 Viewer)

M

Muppit17

Well-known member
Attached is a photo of a female Willow Spreadwing in Sicily last week - not the best but the best of the bunch I took.

I understand that both Western and Eastern occur. The pterostigmas are darker than I would expect for Western but is it an Eastern?

Thoughts would be most welcome.

Also did not sit as a normal Spreadwing as wings were not spread - don't know if this is important. No water was nearby.
 

Attachments

  • DSCN9971v.jpg
    DSCN9971v.jpg
    215.1 KB · Views: 42
andyadcock said:
Doesn't this look structurally better for sponsa / dryas?
Click to expand...

Thanks for your thoughts Andy - sponsa shouldn't occur but dryas does.

One of the other shots shows the prominent spur on the thorax that lead me to my choices, together with habitat. But as I said - I am looking for guidance. It also is becoming very late in the season.

I would be interested in your comments re structure.
 
Muppit17 said:
Thanks for your thoughts Andy - sponsa shouldn't occur but dryas does.

One of the other shots shows the prominent spur on the thorax that lead me to my choices, together with habitat. But as I said - I am looking for guidance. It also is becoming very late in the season.

I would be interested in your comments re structure.
Click to expand...

I just think that it looks very thick bodied, more like dryas?
 
pdwinter said:
Looking again I see what Andy means.

Do you have any more lateral / dorsal photos you could post ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The only dorsal view I have is very poor - but attached anyway. Not good enough to distinguish much and certainly not the teeth on the ovipositor!
 

Attachments

  • DSCN9968.jpg
    DSCN9968.jpg
    226.6 KB · Views: 21
Muppit17 said:
The only dorsal view I have is very poor - but attached anyway. Not good enough to distinguish much and certainly not the teeth on the ovipositor!
Click to expand...

Thanks Muppit17.

I tried to photograph the teeth on parvidens in Bulgaria and viridis in Spain and failed miserably!

Paul
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

D
Spreadwing ID help needed [Germany]
Replies
3
Views
536
pdwinter
pdwinter
D
Odonata ID help and general advise needed - Zwillbrocker Venn, Germany
Replies
5
Views
457
pdwinter
pdwinter
MKinHK
Conference Birding - Crakefest in Canberra, 10 November 2023
Replies
6
Views
935
MKinHK
MKinHK
D
Injured seagull. Help needed.
2
Replies
23
Views
4K
maplekong
M
A
Has anyone else experienced eastern gray squirrels that are shy, timid, or otherwise not interested in bird food?
Replies
12
Views
3K
Avon Avians
A

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top