Black Darter
(Sympetrum danae) Sulzer (1776) Skimmers (Libellulidae) BLDA 24828
Sort Hedelibel (dk)Svart Ängstrollslända (se) Synonyms: Black Meadowhawk (us)
Measurements:
To 29-33mm Ab 18-26mm Hw 20-30mm
Flight period:
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
SE
EU s
Identification:
Imago:
In Denmark male unique. Separated from whitefaces by black frons.
Immatures and females have a brown triangle on top of thorax, where Ruddy shows a T-shape. And they show three yellow dots on side of black part of the thorax. The vulvar scale on females is as prominent as on Moustached Darter.
Wing marks are white on immatures and black on mature individuals. Have seen a photo on artportalen.se where a male showed white appendages. Perhaps also an immature feature?
Similar species:
Life stages:
The mating only lasts a few minutes and takes place in grasses or higher up in bushes or trees. The female drops the eggs in tandem into plant material over low water or the drying out shore. The eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring. The larvae develop during 2-3 months (same season). The imago-transformation takes place near the water.
Distribution:
Most of Europe; absent Mediterranean region and northern Fennoscandinavia. Also present east through Russia to China, Korea and Japan. Also present N America, especially W Lower 48 and southern C and E Canada. In Denmark present in all regions, but mainly NE Sjælland, most of Jylland and Bornholm.
Habitat:
Behavior:
Status:
LC(global) EN(eu) LC(dk). In Denmark considered relatively widespread and stable, but generally it is decreasing in Europe due to habitat loss.
Imago ♀
The dark wing marks indicate it is a mature female, and as you can see here, the vulvar scale is not very prominent. Partly because of the viewing angle, but also because it is moveable, and can be retracted into the lower part of the abdomen (mentioning this because my guide books don't seem to explain this).
Imago
Immature. No vulvar scale visible indicating male, but as with other darters I've seen it is not always showing why I will not sex this individual.
Imago ♂
Adult male. Unmistakable with the pale markings at the base of the abdomen and laterally on S7-8; and the three yellow spots on the side of the thorax. Separating it from Small Whiteface [Lille Kærguldsmed] which superficially looks similar and inhabits the same locality.
Imago ♂
Small pond just east of the resting home, Løjtegårdshjemmet.
Two different animals. At the same small pond, 20 m2.
Totally unexpected at this very manmade site. And being my first observation of the species on Amager, makes it even more remarkable. Less than 10 animals have been reported from Amager through the years, according to naturbasen.dk.
Normally you would visit some of the forest lakes north of Copenhagen to get the species in this region.
Again. Today I found two young animals again of this species so far away from where it normally breeds. Last year it happened in September, why I have to guess that this is a common behavior of the species to wander. Just funny that I haven't been able to find it elsewhere on the island. See also 1787.
With 6 males and one female, including a pairing this was todays big surprise, but apparently it is not unheard of, that the species inhabits new smaller water holes away from the more commonly used acid forest lakes - according to Billqvist (Nordens Trollsländor). However, he says that they normally do this only when close to preferred habitat. I guess we are about 20 kilometers away from the closest known locations with acid lakes, why that must qualify as close in a Swedish context.