Species account

Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea) (Brullé, 1832)
Skimmers (Libellulidae) [Dragonflies] BRSC 24835

Flammelibel (dk) Libélula Escarlata (es) Karmintrollslända (se)

Synonyms (common):

Scarlet Darter (gb)

Synonyms (scientific):

Libellula ferruginata Fabricius, 1781 (nomen oblitum)
Libellula victoria Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785 (nomen oblitum)
Libellula rubra de Villers, 1789 (nec Müller, 1764)
Libellula ferruginea Vander Linden, 1825 (nec Fabricius, 1793)
Libellula coccinea Charpentier, 1840
Libellula inquinata Rambur, 1842
Orthetrum lorti Kirby, 1886

Measurements:

To 36-45mm Ab 18-33mm Hw 23-33mm

Generations:

1-2(south)

Flight period:

Identification:

Similar species:

Life stages:

Mating and egg-depositing [to come]. The eggs hatch after 9-10 weeks. The larvae develop in 1 year and the imago-transformation takes place near the water. In warmer regions a second generation (same year) can develop (egg to imago in same season).

Distribution:

Most of Europe; absent British Isles, Denmark, Baltic region and Fennoscandinavia. However, in recent years is spreading north and now seen in small numbers in British Isles, Denmark and southern Sweden. Also present the entire African continent (incl. the Canary islands), the Middle East to Iran, all of Russia and NW Indochina. In Denmark vagrant with scattered, but increasing, observations mainly in the southern part, Jylland, Ærø, Langeland, Sjælland, Amager, Møn and Lolland.

Habitat:

Behavior:

Host plants:

Hornblad (Ceratophyllum)
Tusindblad (Myriophyllum)
Vandpest (Elodea)
Kransnålalger (Characeae)
Bank vegetation:
Reed (Phragmites)
Sedge (Carex)
Cattail (Typha)

Endemic:

Status

LC(global) LC(eu) LC(EU) NA(dk). Wide expansion into N Europe. First observation in Denmark was in Jylland in 2015. It is still a rare visitor but with increasing numbers each year. Egg-laying has been documented, why the species certainly has become a new Danish breeding species. Amager

Comment:

	2866 (8 photos) 2024-07-20 Rødby Færgehavn, Denmark Imago Male Nordlige vandhul. Self-found. My first males. 2 animals. At first I noted all my sightings as the same animal. If flew from one end of the pond to the other and into the vegetation around it. But the pond was small why I assumed I only saw one animal, especially because I had the individual with the whitish smudge on S4 at both ends. But now, in mid Sep, when I look at the photos, it seems obvious that the animals in photo 2 and 4 are not the same as the one with the white smudge. I can't say if 2 and 4 are the same, but probably so - with good will the pattern on S8-10 look the same. There have been several observations of the species this year, with stationary males, but I've been reluctant to chase them, because I wanted to find my own! Even more so, because it is a species just about to establish itself in Denmark, and there should be no reason to be a copycat, when it would just be a question of time before I found it myself. Completed, and now only follows to find an established population on Amager! It probably looked larger in flight than the comparable darters, but it wasn't my impression that the gloving red color was that significant. And certainly not compared to Red-veined Darter [Rødåret Hedelibel] which is of the same size and also shows an intense red look overall. With more experience there might be behavioral difference one can use to distinguish the two.
	2914 (1 photos) 2024-07-29 Knudshoved Odde (sydsjælland), Denmark Imago Male First water hole after the western parking space. Self-found, and my only second male. It was sitting at the edge of the water, low and out of the wind. Only this one present. More males and females were reported the following week.
	1609 (3 photos) 2023-06-20 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark Imago Female Diget, Nordskoven. Bingo! A new lifer. I saw it as a large animal somewhat similar to the Black-tailed Skimmers [Stor Blåpil] that were flying in good numbers this day. But it was pale in a different way than the immature skimmers. And when I got eyes on the details I knew it was something special. None of the local darters would show this generally pale expression with a grayish eye and broad abdomen with a brown line down the side. Another skimmer? Keeled [Lille Blåpil] probably not; it is much slimmer. Southern Skimmer? A new species for the country?! I wouldn't mind but couldn't remember the details. I saw it twice. Both times sitting on the short vegetation on top of the dike, contrary to the skimmers that consequently were sitting on the ground. The few Ruddy Darters of the day were not flying in the open like this. I knew I had seen a species in the field guides with this particular brown line down the abdomen, but couldn't remember which one. And then of course the doubt started to speak quietly in the back of my head, because I had never seen females of Yellow-winged or Red-veined Darter, so could it be one of these after all? I've tried it too many times now, hoping for something special, and only having the photos reveal yet another normal species with just a slightly aberrant individual. So I continued my trip and it was only when I finally looked through my guides at home that it became clear that it was a Broad Scarlet. I admit that it hadn't occurred to me as a possibility at all. Maybe first of all because I would have expected a male to be the first to be seen in the year. And not a female and less so a young female. But that is what it looks like to me. Especially with the very pale line op top of the thorax that I would expect to be darker on a mature female. According to naturbasen.dk this will be the earliest record of the species in Denmark, with only two more June observations, last year. And that is what makes it unusual because the earliest female has been recorded on July 11. So one can speculate whether it has emerged locally or has arrived after a long-distance flight. The warm weather we have had for several weeks now, of course should provoke unusual sightings (like Lilypad Whitefaces on Falster today too). We'll never know one or the other, but it will be interesting to see if more animals show up in the coming days, and a good reminder to keep eyes and eyes open... Same as 1631. Rare
	1631 (2 photos) 2023-06-21 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark Imago Female Diget, Nordskoven. Still present, 50 meters further east. And still rather wary. When flushed it flies up and lands a couple of times, and then when you try to approach again it disappears. It has a black spot above the black moustache confirming that it is the same animal. See 1609. Rare

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