common darter sympetrum striolatum

in tandem
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ovipositing
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female usually lays eggs by repeatedly dipping end of abdomen into water while in tandem with male ...
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... but not always, it seems.


mating
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feeding
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portraits
common darter
The female has a rectangular shape on the side of the thorax enclosed by black lines. Both sexes show short black lines on s8 & s9. They also have black legs with a yellow stripe. This species is usually the last one to be seen flying, maybe even in December.
common darter
female
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male
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The yellow side to the male thorax is divided by a reddish panel.
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male
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teneral female
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immature female
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female, not quite fully mature
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female whose abdomen has become reddish with age
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sometimes an ageing female shows yellowish areas that have turned grey
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aged females often show a reddish median line down the abdomen


in flight
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