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Bulgarian Dragonfly ID (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter balkantrek
- Start date
black52bird
Registered User
william j clive
Well-known member
balkantrek
Well-known member
Thanks for your replies.
As far as I can find out from my research, there are two species of Goldenring recorded so far in the Western Rhodopes:
Balkan Goldenring (Cordulegaster heros) and Sombre Goldenring (Cordulegaster bidentata).
Another species Turkish Goldenring (Cordulegaster picta) has been found in the far south-eastern corner of the Eastern Rhodopes. There is no record of Greek Goldenring (Cordulegaster helladica) from Bulgaria...I believe it is a Greek endemic.
So given all this, it does seem most likely to be a Balkan Goldenring.
As far as I can find out from my research, there are two species of Goldenring recorded so far in the Western Rhodopes:
Balkan Goldenring (Cordulegaster heros) and Sombre Goldenring (Cordulegaster bidentata).
Another species Turkish Goldenring (Cordulegaster picta) has been found in the far south-eastern corner of the Eastern Rhodopes. There is no record of Greek Goldenring (Cordulegaster helladica) from Bulgaria...I believe it is a Greek endemic.
So given all this, it does seem most likely to be a Balkan Goldenring.
Hi! I'm a Bulgarian specialist on dragonflies. This year with the help of an European project I succeeded to create a data base for our Odonata species and I collect any information on the species distribution. That is why I'm currious who has made this photo and if possible to get me more details - where exactly the picture was taken, name of the nearest village/town, date and time of the day and if possible coordinates and altitude. If not possible I'll taken these later.
That pictures is of COrdulegaster heros - a species I've seen in some places in the Western Rhodops, like above the village of Trigrad and near the village of Borino.
With my best wishes:
Milen
black52bird
Registered User
Hi Milen
Glad you could confirm my ID!!
I'm interested in your database - is it available for consultation on-line?
Although I'm based in Budapest, I've recently started working in Bulgaria several times a year (as it happens,I'm going to Blagoevgrad for a Conference next Thursday 8th Nov for a week!!), and often have odd records which I could pass on to you. Though I doubt there'll be many Dragonflies around this time!!
Best
David
balkantrek
Well-known member
Hi Milen!
Thanks very much for your message and confirmation that the species is indeed Cordugaster heros.
I am delighted you have made contact, as I know very well of your important research into the Odonata of Bulgaria and your fantastic website:
http://odonata.biodiversity.bg/index_en.htm
I refer to it a lot for reference and to learn more about Bulgaria's dragonflies.
For the last 20 years I have been exploring Bulgaria's mountains, writing about them as well as guiding and organising walking and wildlife holidays there. I have gathered a huge bank of data on the fauna of Bulgaria, as I have recorded almost every sighting I have made during these years with data about location, altitude and time. The vast majority of my records are birds, herpetofauna and mammals...as these of course have been easier for me to identify. I have seen numerous dragonflies but sadly have as yet little or no experience of identifying them. I will of course be glad to pass on what little data I have, and now I am aware that you are keeping a close record of every sighting in Bulgaria, will do my best to record more information for you during my annual explorations in the Bulgarian mountains. I will also try to take more photos and let you have copies of these, as I am sure you may be able to make some accurate identifications from some of them.
The specimen of Cordugaster heros for which I posted a couple of photos here was taken at 11-37 on 15/06/2004 in the territory of the village of Zmeitsa at an altitude of 1260m. The location was along a stream just outside the village (about 30 minutes gentle walk to the east of the village). In the same location I also saw, but didn't photograph, Calpoteryx virgo.
Here are a four other Bulgarian dragonfly photos I have taken this year which you may be able to identify for me (although they are not very good):
The first was taken in the Rodopi in the territory of the village of Yagodina at 10-00 on 21/06/2007 at 1180m. It was on the track that leads south-south-west from Yagodina via the Chereshovo locality to the Groba saddle.
The second was taken in the Rila Planina on the wall of Hizha "Ribni Ezera" at 13-30 on 02/08/2007 at 2230m.
The third and fourth, presumably Calopteryx virgo, were from the valley of the River Arda just at the west end of Arda village (just west of the church and Samardzhiiskata Mahala by the junction to Rechani). They were taken at 11-30 on 09/08/2007 at about 1020m.
Hope this is useful. Is the e-mail address given on your website still valid? I will be happy to supply you with more data when I have the chance. I spend about half my year wandering in the Rodopi Mountains which is the mountain range where I specialize. So I would also be very interested to have any information from you about the distribution of species and records from these mountains...so I know what to look out for where, and maybe to start filling in some gaps.
Julian
Thanks very much for your message and confirmation that the species is indeed Cordugaster heros.
I am delighted you have made contact, as I know very well of your important research into the Odonata of Bulgaria and your fantastic website:
http://odonata.biodiversity.bg/index_en.htm
I refer to it a lot for reference and to learn more about Bulgaria's dragonflies.
For the last 20 years I have been exploring Bulgaria's mountains, writing about them as well as guiding and organising walking and wildlife holidays there. I have gathered a huge bank of data on the fauna of Bulgaria, as I have recorded almost every sighting I have made during these years with data about location, altitude and time. The vast majority of my records are birds, herpetofauna and mammals...as these of course have been easier for me to identify. I have seen numerous dragonflies but sadly have as yet little or no experience of identifying them. I will of course be glad to pass on what little data I have, and now I am aware that you are keeping a close record of every sighting in Bulgaria, will do my best to record more information for you during my annual explorations in the Bulgarian mountains. I will also try to take more photos and let you have copies of these, as I am sure you may be able to make some accurate identifications from some of them.
The specimen of Cordugaster heros for which I posted a couple of photos here was taken at 11-37 on 15/06/2004 in the territory of the village of Zmeitsa at an altitude of 1260m. The location was along a stream just outside the village (about 30 minutes gentle walk to the east of the village). In the same location I also saw, but didn't photograph, Calpoteryx virgo.
Here are a four other Bulgarian dragonfly photos I have taken this year which you may be able to identify for me (although they are not very good):
The first was taken in the Rodopi in the territory of the village of Yagodina at 10-00 on 21/06/2007 at 1180m. It was on the track that leads south-south-west from Yagodina via the Chereshovo locality to the Groba saddle.
The second was taken in the Rila Planina on the wall of Hizha "Ribni Ezera" at 13-30 on 02/08/2007 at 2230m.
The third and fourth, presumably Calopteryx virgo, were from the valley of the River Arda just at the west end of Arda village (just west of the church and Samardzhiiskata Mahala by the junction to Rechani). They were taken at 11-30 on 09/08/2007 at about 1020m.
Hope this is useful. Is the e-mail address given on your website still valid? I will be happy to supply you with more data when I have the chance. I spend about half my year wandering in the Rodopi Mountains which is the mountain range where I specialize. So I would also be very interested to have any information from you about the distribution of species and records from these mountains...so I know what to look out for where, and maybe to start filling in some gaps.
Julian
Attachments
Hi David,
Thank you for your interest to our dragonfly fauna! Yes, November is difficult period for me here as I can't see any more dragonflies on the field. Occasionally Sympetrum striolatum is flying late in the season, but more chances with it along the coast - not in the region where you'll go. However, if you have other observations from Bulgaria, I'll be glad to include them in my data base. Speaking about it - I must consult it with the person who paid me for to fill it out. All the data I have are entered in Access sheets and I think is usefull for all interested to our dragonflies, but I must have a permission to distribute it on this way. For the moment you could visit the web site I have made for our Odonata species: www.odonata.biodiversity.bg. There you'll find more information on the species, their known status as well as some unsolved problems. As I joint this forum just recently and don't check it as often as I don with my e-mails, please, write directly to: [email protected] for future correspondence.
With my best wishes:
Milen
Hi Julian,
Thank you very much for your nice words and the photos you have provided. These are of following species: "Yagodina_IMG_0801"- Orthetrum brunneum; "IMG_1085" - Aeshna juncea and the two others are really Calopteryx virgo male and female.
I think I know village of Zmeitsa or at least its situation. There is a junction to it when you travel from Dospat towards Borino after you pass a big Roman bridge over the Sarnena River about 8 km E from Dospat. Two more km and you get to the junction. I've seen same species in Sarnena river and further on just before Borino - on the right hand side of the road there is a spring for drinking water with a small stream near by. If you refer to the same village - then everything match well.
I've visited the same hut "Ribni ezera" several times and have seen same species Aeshna juncea in many places within the region. It is very common at these high altitudes in Bulgaria. There is another intersting place for your information when you visit the region again next year. Take a walk from the hut to "Smradlivoto ezero". You'll pass through many small lakes (possibly you know them) with interesting species in them. Leucorrhinia dubia and SOmatochlora metallica are flying there. Two very remarkable species with few localities in the country only. Same species and Somatochlora arctica (one of the most interesting species in Bulgaria) you may see in the "Tiha Rila" area - surely you know this place beneath the hut on the way to Rila monastery.
Yes, my e-mail address is the same as given in the site: [email protected]. Please, write me for anything you've seen in Bulgaria and would like to know more about it. I'll be very glad to help with identification of the species.
As for the Rhodopes, which seems to be your favourite place, I've published two articles. About the both Eastern and Western parts. If you are currious to have them, please, let me know about it.
With my best wishes:
Milen
