Red-veined Darter
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Sympetrum fonscolombii
Rare & locally scattered throughout Britain.
Common & widespread in South West Europe.
Males have a red abdomen, redder than many other Sympetrum species.
The eyes are brown above and blue/grey below.
The wings have red veins and the wing bases of the hind-wings are yellow.
Females are similar but the abdomen is ochre yellow, not red, with two black lines along each side.
The wings have yellow veins at the costa, leading edge and base, not red veins as found in the males.
The legs of both sexes are mostly black with some yellow.
Immature Males are like Females but often with more red and a single line along each side of the abdomen.
Flies from June-early October.