Species account

Lille Kejserguldsmed (Anax parthenope) Selys (1839)
Mosaikguldsmede (Aeshnidae) [Guldsmede] LEEM 24807

Lesser Emperor (gb) Emperador Pardo (es) Mindre Kejsartrollslända (se)

Synonyms (common):

Yellow-winged Emperor (gb)

Synonyms (scientific):

Anax parisinus Rambur, 1842
Anax bacchus Hagen, 1867
Anax major Glötz, 1923
Anax geyri Buchholz, 1955
Anax jordansi Buchholz, 1955

Measurements:

To 62-75mm Ab 46-53mm Hw 44-51mm

Generations:

Flight period:

Identification:

Green eyes, dark brown thorax and distinctly blue on S2-3 wrapping all the way around the segments. Compared to larger Blue Emperor it is obviously different when seen flying around. And does so equally frequent.

The yellow ring at base of S2 is not always present. None of the individuals I saw on Bornholm in July 2021 showed it.

Similar species:

Life stages:

After mating the female, in tandem (or solo), inserts the eggs into plant material or mud near the water surface. The eggs hatch after two months, and the larvae develop during 2 years. The imago transition takes place ???

Distribution:

Most of Europe, except most of Fennoscandinavia. Also absent most of Ireland and Scotland. Otherwise present in most of Eurasia reaching Japan. Also present on the the Arabian peninsula and N Africa from west to east. In Denmark still a rare visitor, mostly in the eastern part, but breeding on Bornholm.

Habitat:

Behavior:

Status

LC (global) LC(eu) NA(dk). Too rare to assess in Denmark, but no doubt that the species is breeding on Bornholm (first record of a larva from Safirsøen on May 26, 2016) and is expected to expand to the rest of the country in the years to come. Also regular in S Sweden.

Comment:

Green eyes, dark brown thorax and distinctly blue on S2-3 wrapping all the way around the segments. Compared to larger Blue Emperor it is obviously different when seen flying around. And does so equally frequent. The yellow ring at base of S2 is not always present. None of the individuals I saw on Bornholm in July 2021 showed it.

	525 (1 photos) 2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Han Safirsøen. Strong colors indicate the sex.
	526 (3 photos) 2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Han Safirsøen. The black horizontal line at the top of the frons is a good indication of this species. When captured flying and only getting a front shot.
	527 (1 photos) 2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Han Safirsøen. Just like the others from this day...flying. Might even be the same as some of the other photo sets.
	528 (5 photos) 2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Han Safirsøen. Finally some decent shots. Be sure to be properly impressed the next time you watch a photo of a flying dragonfly taken with limited angles of clear view and uniform background.
	529 (6 photos) 2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Han Safirsøen. As you can see in these photos and the others from this day, the yellow ring at the base of S2 is not there. My guide book mentions it as variation, and not age related.
	530 (1 photos) 2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Han Safirsøen. Catching a Six-spot Burnet (Seksplettet Køllesværmer).
	946 (2 photos) 2022-07-12 Ronneby-area (Blekinge), Sweden Imago Han A surprise, only recognized when revising photos.
	1707 (7 photos) 2023-06-28 Amager Fælled, Denmark Imago Han Den landskabelige kanal, DLK-nord. Finally I found this species on Amager. I haven't seen it in Denmark since Bornholm two years ago. With every climate year going by I guess it'll be more common in our region, why it is not a sensation, but still a good observation. It was too fast for me to get closer photos, though it did pause mid-air right in front of me a few times. But too briefly for the ancient canon 7DII to get on it. The first photo I added to give the viewer an idea about what to look for, because even at a distance it is possible to get hold of this species. The large size and length, the generally dark body and the well-defined blue 'cube' near the thorax and the green eye are unique among dragonflies in Denmark. At least when you get a sense of the details of the color tones, because ephippiger can look rather similar in flight, but is generally paler brown and with a darker upperpart to the green eye.
	2880 (4 photos) 2024-07-20 Døllefjelde Musse Naturpark (Lolland), Denmark Imago Han I didn't spend much time here, why I'm happy to find 3 males; in each their reservoir. The other two I only saw through binoculars. My first perched animal, and of course it took off, when I was just short of one meter down the sloping bank to get a clear view! Interesting to see the change of color of the markings on the last abdomen segments from dark olive green to a typical Indian Butter-Chicken Grady color; and also that the yellow band between S1 and S2 is very subdued and not as visible, as emphasized in various field guides, something I also noted when seeing the species the first time on Bornholm. However, this might be caused by the fact that the animal is still not fully mature, since the wing marks look rather colorless. Dijkstra & Lewington mentions tiny spines at the tips of the upper appendages, but I'm afraid I can't see them on these photos. According to LAK they have been here several years, and with observations also at several places on Sjælland, it must now be considered an established species outside of Bornholm.
	3182 (2 photos) 2025-05-29 Teglstrup Hegn (nordsjælland), Denmark Imago Han Fandens Hul. The surprise of the day. I had several Green-eyed Hawkers flying around over the water, and then suddenly my eye caught this one that looked different. I don't remember, how I spotted it. If it was by plain eye sight or it cerendipitily entered the narrow view while I was looking through the camera or the binoculars. It only stayed for as long as it took to take these photos. Photo 1 is where it is already leaving the water hole and photo 2 is when it took height and then disappeared, never to return. Rare

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