Libellulidae

Crocothemis erythraea Updated 2009

 

Leucorrhinia dubia Updated 2009

Leucorrhinia dubia - Female

Leucorrhinia dubia - Female (Andromorph) (

This series shows rare images of a female L. dubia that has the colouration of a male (andromorph).  

Leucorrhinia dubia - Male

Leucorrhinia pectoralis Updated 2008

Leucorrhinia pectoralis - Male

Leucorrhinia rubicunda Updated 2008

Libellula depressa Updated 2008

Libellula fulva Updated 2008

Libellula quadrimaculata Updated 2008

L. quadrimaculata is a family of dragonflies that can be found in a vast region ranging from Asia, Europe all the way to the U.S.

Libellula quadrimaculata - Female

Libellula quadrimaculata - Male

Libellula quadrimaculata - Male exuviae

Libellula quadrimaculata dragonfly emergence

Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila

The L. quadrimaculata praenubila is a variant form of the L. quadrimaculata dragonflies. The main difference is the elongated spot on each wing. L. fulva is another dragonflies species that also has adults with and without the "smokey spot" effect on its wings.

Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila - Female

Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila - Male

Orthetrum albistylum Updated 2008

The O. albistrylum I have photographed thus far were not directly located nearby water but rather on the edges of these fields. Other dragonflies that were photographed in the same area were G. vulgatissimus, O. cancellatum and A. affinis.

Orthetrum albistrylum - Female

Orthetrum albistrylum - Male

Orthetrum brunneum

I was fortunate to encounter two minute popultaions of O. brunneum in Vienna Austria. These populations consisted of no more than three individuals per location.

Female O. brunneum have these interesting white eyes, they really come out well in the last picture.

Orthetrum brunneum - Female

Orthetrum brunneum - Male

Photographing dragonflies that are resting on a natural stone underground is one of my favorite themes, as you can also tell from my other series.

Orthetrum brunneum - Immature Male

 Orthetrum cancellatum

O. cancellatum is a common dragonfly species for most parts of Europe and it makes an excellent starting point when researching dragonflies. They are present throughout the entire dragonfly season (April - October) and carry many of the typical lifecycle characteristics present in many dragonflies.

The images below also include an example of what could be an andromorph female (female that has coloration typical for adult male). Females are normally turn brownish as the get older but this sample clearly has blue not brown.

There is also one picture that shows an O. cancellatum cooling down in the shade, you know it's hot outside when the dragonflies start to look for shade! (summer of 2003).

Orthetrum cancellatum - Just emerged female

Orthetrum cancellatum - Female

Orthetrum cancellatum - Older female

Orthetrum cancellatum - Andromorph female

Orthetrum cancellatum - Immature male

Note how the coloration of immature males resembles the coloration of the females.

Orthetrum cancellatum - Male

Orthetrum coerulescens

This was a very rare occurrence in Vienna, Austria. I found this sort of dragonfly to be easily startled. There were strong wind gusts as I took the pictures so the overall result is not so good. Perhaps I will have more luck next time.

Orthetrum coerulescens - Male

 

Sympetrum danae

There is only one location in Germany where I have located a large population of S. danae. One of the most interesting facts about S. danae is that it also occurs in the United States (for example New Jersey). In the U.S. the S. danae is known as the Black Meadowhawk.  

Sympetrum danae - Female

Sympetrum danae - Male

Sympetrum danae - Emergence and Exuviae

Sympetrum flaveolum

Sympetrum flaveolum - Female

Sympetrum pedemontanum

Sympetrum pedemontanum - Female

Sympetrum pedemontanum - Male

Sympetrum sanguineum

Sympetrum sanguineum - Female

Sympetrum sanguineum - Male

Sympetrum sanguineum - Immature Male

Sympetrum sanguineum - Tandem

Sympetrum vulgatum

Sympetrum vulgatum - Female