Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum
Length
34mm, Wings 55mm.
Males
Thorax brown with 2 thin black lines on sides; abdomen narrow waist, rich red colour; face red; legs all black; line over frons spreads down the sides.
Females
Yellowish throughout with black markings on sides of thorax and abdomen; legs all black.
Gallery
Habitat
Canals, ditches, lakes, gravel pits and ponds.
Behavior
Males defend territory. Capture females to mate in taller vegetation. Egg laying in tandem, flicking eggs into water. Larvae 1 year.
Flight Period
Late-June to October. In Great Britain found in southern and central England, including the East Riding, and spreading northwards.
Recorded at the Following Featured Locations
View the latest sightings for this species.
- Walton Colliery Nature Park
- Pugneys Country Park
- The Arboretum, Kew at Castle Howard
- Nosterfield Local Nature Reserve
- High Batts Nature Reserve
- Ellington Banks MoD Training Area
- Johnny Brown's Common
- Potteric Carr
- Spurn Point
- Skipwith Common
- Saltmarshe Delph
- Pulfin and High Eske Nature Reserve
- Pocklington Canal
- Oak Road Lake, Hull
- North Cave Wetlands
- Leven Canal
- Hornsea Mere
- Filey Dams
- Eastrington Ponds
- Broomfleet Washlands
- Bransholme Fishing Lake, East Hull
- Allerthorpe Common
- Tophill Low Nature Reserve