I'm struggling to ID this one. The light was reflecting off its wings making it look very pretty but not making it so easy to see the detail. The pterostigma looked bright red but I suspect it was just a trick of the light. The wings were obscuring the thorax making it difficult to see what colour it was.
I suspect it's just a Common Darter but would appreciate expert opinion.
A heavy crop of the thorax area
Ta muchly
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Hi TeeJay, Could it be a Brown Hawker
Pat Adams - Flickr - BLOG
Thanks for the suggestion, ndf. If it is, it's not like the those I've seen before which are larger, have wings suffused with amber and no red blobs on the thorax.
I'd stick with Common Darter. Have had a look at my pics of them and some have clearly reddish pterostigmas. (Never sure if the plural should be 'pterostigmata'!)
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aiki said:(Never sure if the plural should be 'pterostigmata'!)
I've no idea. I can't even pronounce the singular.
Thanks for confirming the ID, I'll settle for Common Darter
Yes, this is a Common Darter - a mature female that has developed some red colouration on the abdomen. The pterostigma colour is very variable (white when recently emerged, turning black/blackish, or red.
Officially I think that it should be 'pterostigmata' - it just doesn't 'sound right' to me - 'pterostimas' seems to roll off the tongue more easily!
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Thanks for the extra info, Roy