Common Darter

Description:

The Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is very similar to the Vagrant Darter (Sympetrum vulgatum) and the Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguinem).
However, the Ruddy Darter can be easily recognized by its completely black legs.
The other two Darters have yellow or brown stripes along the legs.
The Common Darter can be distinguished from the Vagrant Darter by not having a black line on the forehead that runs downwards along the eyes' edges (so no moustache).
In addition, the body of the Common Darter is straight (not shaped like a bludgeon) and the female's ovipositor sticks out in a 40 degrees angle (where the ovipositor of the female Vagrant Darter sticks out in a 90 degrees angle).

1st & 2nd photo: Laarder Wasmeer, Hilversum, The Netherlands, 21 July 2016
3rd photo: Stulpheide, Lage Vuursche, The Netherlands, 4 August 2014
4th photo: Landgoed Oostbroek, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 4 September 2018
5th photo: Oostvaardersplassen, The Netherlands, 7 October 2019

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