An Algarve dragon

Jannyfox

Jannyfox

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Jan
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I managed to snap this on a recent holiday in the Algarve. I think it's a female red veined darter & I'm hoping someone can confirm that. It was certainly a darter in every sense! There were lots of them around but only this one stayed still for more than a split second. To add to the fun it was breezy and the scrub vegetation they were landing on was anything but still. There were a lot of red ones as well, which I believe were the males, but they were even more camera shy. The one shot I got turned out to be a red blur of him exiting stage left..........

Red veined darter by Jannyfox, on Flickr
 
Great shot Jan. I think this species must be fairly common around the med (certainly more common than they are here), I managed to find some in the south of Spain last year, and would agree this is the same species:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/timmygspics/9683573968/in/set-72157636667429446
https://www.flickr.com/photos/timmygspics/9680700795/in/set-72157636667429446


They do have a tendency to perch on the end of sticks which means any wind (which you are likely to encounter on the coast) adds to the difficulties. The high temperatures only seems to make them more active too! I tried to go early to get some closeups, but by the time they materialized, the sun was up and I had to give up on that idea. I hope to go back at some point and see if I have more luck.
 
Thanks for your kind comments Tim. This was taken mid afternoon and given the number around I really appreciate how lucky I got with this one. We get plenty of dragonflies round where I live but I've yet to see one of these.
 
Excellent dragonfly shot the background shows her off a treat
well caught they are tricky to get near when its hot, in the UK anyway
 
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