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Species account
Almindelig Hedelibel
(Sympetrum vulgatum)
Linnaeus (1758)
Libeller (Libellulidae)
MODA
24830
Moustached Darter (gb)
Libélula de Ocharán (es)
Tegelröd Ängstrollslända (se)
Synonyms: Vagrant Darter (gb)
Measurements:
To 35-40mm Ab 23-28mm Hw 24-29mm
Flight period:
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Identification:
Even the mature wing marks are pale underneath resembling the young animals.
Similar species:
Life stages:
The mating takes place near the water hole, and takes place in the vegetation and lasts 10-15 minutes. The pair then flies in tandem low over the shore vegetation, wet or dry part, and the eggs are dropped while the male swings the female. Sometimes they detach and the female completes the process by herself. The eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring, where the larvae live in-between water plants or at the bottom, and develop during 3-4 months (same season). The imago-transformation takes place low on plants in the water.
Distribution:
Most of Europe; absent most of Iberian peninsula, most of British Isles and northern Fennoscandinavia, Mediterranean islands, most of Italy, Greece and Turkey. Also present Ukraine and Russia to the E Asian region. Also absent the Canaries. In Denmark widespread and present in all regions.
Habitat:
Behavior:
Status:
LC(global)
VU(eu) LC(dk). The species is stable in Denmark and present in all regions. However, it seems to be outnumbered somewhat by striolatum [Stor Hedelibel] late in the season, at least on Amager. This is contrary to the common perception that states the opposite.
Comment:
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429
(1 photos)
2020-05-01 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♂ Young. Yellow on the legs and black line down the eye. |
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431
(5 photos)
2020-08-11 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♂ Young individual. |
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2290
(1 photos)
2023-08-30 Dragør Kommune, Denmark Imago ♂ I think the shape of the black moustache and the amount of yellow on the forelegs go better with this species than striolatum [Stor Hedelibel]. |
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2305
(1 photos)
2023-09-11 Bastemosen (Bornholm), Denmark Imago ♂ Has grabbed a sangineum [Blodrød Hedelibel] female showing the all-black legs, pointed moustache and bright colored side of thorax with limited black lines. It's an old male and the amount of yellow on the legs appears more restricted than it would have on a younger male. One might even suggest that it is a striolatum [Stor Hedelibel] instead of, also showing a not-so-protruding moustache as might have been expected on vulgatum. But I think it looks this way because of the age and the difficult angle to judge from. Normally, on striolatum, the yellow ovals on the side of the thorax are more conspicuous than is seen here, where they seem to fit vulgatum well. Another point in favor of vulgatum is the simple fact that striolatum is normally not seen here... Rare |
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2375
(2 photos)
2023-09-14 Travbaneparken, Denmark Imago ♂ The moustache is good for the species as is a good amount of yellow on the legs. And the side of the thorax is uniformly colored compared to what is normally seen on striolatum [Stor Hedelibel]. |
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2357
(1 photos)
2023-09-15 Amager Fælled, Denmark Imago ♂ Dæmningen, Landskabelige Kanal. |
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2356
(2 photos)
2023-09-15 Amager Fælled, Denmark Imago ♂ Dæmningen, Landskabelige Kanal. |
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2385
(3 photos)
2023-09-21 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♂ As far as I can tell, the two photos, (1, 2-3) show the same animal, with the cut off half of the left foreleg. However, the first photo was taken near the southern narrow bridge over the channel along Ellevehøjvej, and the other one I took 5 minutes later east of the southern bunker area, some hundred meters away. Am I wrong or did it follow me there? Next part is to accept the species. The moustache does not look too strong down the side of the eye, but it still seems to be a bit too strong and present to fit striolatum. Also there seem to be quite much yellow on the foreleg and the side of the thorax also look darker than normally seem on striolatum. Aberrant |
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2863
(1 photos)
2024-07-15 Bøtø-skoven, Denmark Imago ♂ Diget. Young. Typical moustache for the species but rather limited yellow on the front leg, more similar to a striolatum [Stor Hedelibel]. |
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2865
(2 photos)
2024-07-20 Bøtø-skoven, Denmark Imago ♂ Diget. Young. |
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2982
(2 photos)
2024-08-05 Map Kongelundsområdet, Denmark Imago ♂ Nordskoven. Young. |
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430
(4 photos)
2020-08-11 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♀ The vulvar scale (skedeklappen) apparently is flexible being able to retract and expand changing the size of the visible part. Notice the size difference in photo 3 and 4. |
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428
(5 photos)
2020-08-11 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark ♀ Probably a young with the pale colors, including extensive yellow on the legs. |
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1886
(4 photos)
2022-07-14 Bøtø-skoven, Denmark Imago ♀ Young. |
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1887
(2 photos)
2022-07-18 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♀ Young. |
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1888
(2 photos)
2022-07-18 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♀ |
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1772
(1 photos)
2023-07-07 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago ♀ A single seen this day. |
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1960
(2 photos)
2023-07-21 Bøtø-skoven, Denmark Imago ♀ Young. |
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1959
(1 photos)
2023-07-21 Bøtø-skoven, Denmark Imago ♀ Young. |
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1990
(3 photos)
2023-07-26 Hvidovre Strandenge, Denmark Imago ♀ Teneral. |
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2046
(2 photos)
2023-07-27 Skær Sø (Egtved), Denmark Imago ♀ The moustache is probably a bit more blurry down the side of the frons on this individual than normally seen, but still good for the species. Which is also supported by extensive yellow on the legs, the incomplete black rectangle on the side of the thorax plus the rather vertical vulvar scale. Only one seen today. Aberrant |
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2183
(1 photos)
2023-08-13 Halvmånesøen (Tranegilde-Ishøj), Denmark Imago ♀ |
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2296
(2 photos)
2023-09-01 Travbaneparken, Denmark Imago ♀ Plejehjemsdammen. The vulvar scale guarantees the identification. Otherwise a good example of how important it can be to have more photos of a subject when claiming a certain species. Here the moustache looks almost non-existing down the side of the eye in the frontal view and abnormally large in the lateral view. |
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2374
(3 photos)
2023-09-14 Travbaneparken, Denmark Imago ♀ Mature. Another example of photo-misguiding if not sufficient material to id properly. Looking at the face-on in photo 1 the moustache is limited like one would expect it to be on striolatum [Stor Hedelibel], but becomes obviously vulgatum-like in photo 2-3. The species is also supported by the large vulvar scale and much yellow on the legs. |
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2983
(3 photos)
2024-08-05 Map Kongelundsområdet, Denmark Imago ♀ Nordskoven. The rear line on the vulvar scale appears inclined on this animal, thus better suited for a striolatum [Stor Hedelibel], but being a very flexible structure one can't rely on this to separate the two when the scale isn't fully 'opened', which it clearly can't be here, with the bullet-proof vulgatum characters, the moustache and the extensively yellow legs. I know the last photo looks different, but I've noted the three as belonging to the same animal, and think the different appearance is based on the different angle and background. |
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2984
(1 photos)
2024-08-05 Map Kongelundsområdet, Denmark Imago ♀ Nordskoven. |
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2367
(2 photos)
2023-09-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago You can discuss whether the moustache and the amount of yellow on the legs would fit a striolatum [Stor Hedelibel] better, but the shape and size of the vulvar scale should eliminate all doubt in favor of vulgatum, and again, making it clear that photo id often is not as straight forward as one might wish for. |