(Another) odonata ID confirmation needed (1 Viewer)

[David_]

Hi,

I have another picture where I am not sure I got the ID right. Is this a female common darter?



Thanks

 

[pdwinter]

It appears to have all black legs - which would make it a Ruddy Darter - but it would be good to see a photo from a different angle (e.g. more from the top or of the eyes or from the side) as leg stripes don't always show in photos.

 

[David_]

Thanks.
I didn‘t manage to get a shot from another angle before it flew away.

 

[pdwinter]

AFAIK where you live you will have two very similar darters with striped legs - striolatum (Common) and vulgatum (Moustached) which are very similar best separated by a photograph showing the eyes (black down side of frons for vulgatum but not for striolatum) or, for a female, a side on shot showing the vulvar scale. You also may have another darter with striped legs - Yellow-winged - but usually that has extensive yellow in the wings rather than just at the wing bases.

In the UK it's not a problem because we only have one darter with striped legs - apart from the migrant Red-veined Darter which is easy to ID without seeing the legs!

That aside I think it probably has black legs which, with the features we can see, would make it a Ruddy Darter or possibly a Marshland Darter (I think they have become pretty scarce in northern Germany)

I tend to take distant photos from several angles and then move in to get a better photo which is usually when the insect disappears never to be seen again

 

[David_]

Thanks for detailed explanation on what to look for and the tips for photography.

Since basically all of the european darters besides Island and Highland darter seem to occur in Germany (not sure though which occur in my area) I will probably have more questions in the future.