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Species account
Lille Kærguldsmed
(Leucorrhinia dubia)
Vander Linden (1825)
Libeller (Libellulidae)
SMWH
24823
Small Whiteface (gb)
Libélula Cariblanca Menor (es)
Myrtrollslända (se)
Synonyms: White-faced Darter (gb)
Measurements:
To 31-37mm Ab 21-27mm Hw 23-28mm
Flight period:
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Identification:
Similar species:
Life stages:
Mating takes place near the shore on the ground or in vegetation. It lasts up to 10 minutes. The solo flying female drops the eggs (up to 600) into the water where many water plants. The eggs hatch after a few weeks and the larvae live in-between water plants and develop during 3 years (normally). The imago-transformation takes place near the water, on the shore or surface plants, and often the entire population emerges within a few days at each locality.
Distribution:
Mostly C and NE Europe. From France to Poland, the Baltics and Fennoscandinavia. Also present locally in the British Isles, the Balkans and east through Ukraine, Belarus and Russia locally across the continent to Kamchatka and Japan. In Denmark mainly found in Jylland and NE Sjælland. Also seen on Bornholm but absent elsewhere.
Habitat:
Behavior:
Shy and difficult to approach when mating.
Status:
LC(global)
VU(eu) LC(dk). In Denmark relatively common in Jylland but is probably declining due to loss of suited nutrition-poor habitats. The same as in many parts of the distribution range.
Comment:
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1755
(1 photos)
2023-07-08 Letmose (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago ♂♀ Mating wheel. |
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1758
(1 photos)
2023-07-08 Rold Skov (midtjylland), Denmark Imago ♂♀ Bogs near Skørping. Mating wheel. |
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765
(1 photos)
2022-06-18 Teglstrup Hegn (nordsjælland), Denmark Imago ♂ I first took this one for a Yellow-spotted, thinking it looked big and powerful. But measurements indicate that they are not that different in size why you can't always use that as a separation criteria. |
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766
(4 photos)
2022-06-18 Teglstrup Hegn (nordsjælland), Denmark Imago ♂ Fandens Hul. A young male as I see it, with rather strongly marked yellow spots on the abdomen. But the slender body and the black inner half of the costa to the forewing support the species. |
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1753
(3 photos)
2023-07-08 Letmose (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago ♂ |
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1754
(1 photos)
2023-07-08 Letmose (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago ♂ |
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1756
(1 photos)
2023-07-08 Letmose (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago ♂ |
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1757
(1 photos)
2023-07-08 Rold Skov (midtjylland), Denmark Imago ♂ Bogs near Skørping. |
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2896
(3 photos)
2024-07-24 Teglstrup Hegn (nordsjælland), Denmark Imago ♀ Fandens Hul. The dark color at first confused with now being within the time for Black Darters [Sort Hedelibel], but the white frons and the extensive yellow marks on the abdomen tells that this is a whiteface and the shape of these markings and the fact that the outer half of the costa of the forewing is paler than the inner part give that it is a dubio. Also, the shape of the Hw base spots being rather rounded toward the end compared to the tip being more pointed on Ruby Whiteface [Nordisk Kærguldsmed]. I still haven't seen many unaccompanied females why they still appear exotic to my eye. Here on a carpet of sundew [Rundbladet Soldug], the ground cover right next to the water hole. |