Damselflies and Dragonflies in Vestfold in 2021

The following is a selected photographic summery of damselfly and dragonfly observations made during 2021 from Vestfold and Buskerud regions of Norway. It should be noted that the images of Sympetrum striolatum and Sympetrum valgatum, do not always illustrate all or some of  the diagnostic criteria necessary for identification for these two species and are only included for illustration.

Common Spreadwing (Nordmetalvannymfe) Lestes sponsa male - Horten, Vestfold 11/8-21

Common Spreadwing (Nordmetalvannymfe) Lestes sponsa female - Horten, Vestfold 7/7-21

Banded Demoiselle (Båndpraktnymfe) Calopteryx splendens male - Horten, Vestfold 26/6-21
Recently Red Listed status as Near Threatened

Beautiful Demoiselle (Blåpraktvannymfe) Calopteryx virgo male - Drammen, Buskerud 15/7-21

Beautiful Demoiselle (Blåpraktvannymfe) Calopteryx virgo female - Drammen, Buskerud 15/7-21

Blue Featherleg (Fjærbeinvannymfe) Platycnemis pennipes female - Horten, Vestfold 21/7-21

Azure Bluet (Sørblåvannymfe) Coenagrion puella male - Horten, Vestfold 8/6-21

Spearhead Bluet (Spydblåvannymfe) Coenagrion hastulatum male - Horten, Vestfold 8/6-21

Large Redeye (Rødøyevannymfe) Eeythromma najas male - Holmestrand, Vestfold 9/6-21

Migrant Hawker (septemberlibelle) Aeshna mixta male - Horten, Vestfold 14/9-21

Moorland Hawker (starrlibelle) Aeshna juncea male - Horten, Vestfold 19/8-21

Common Clubtail (klubbeelvelibelle) Gomphus vulgatissimus female - Holmestrand, Vestfold 5/6-21
Recently Red Listed status as Near Threatened

Common Goldenring (kongelibelle) Cordulgaster boltonii female - Drammen, Buskerud 15/7-21

Downy Emerald (smaragdlibelle) Cordulia aenea male - Tønsberg, Vestfold 5/7-21

Brilliant Emerald (glansmetallibelle) Somatochlora metallica captured male - Sandefjord, Vestfold 26/6-21

Four-spotted Chaser (firflekklibelle) Libellula quadrimaculata male - Horten, Vestfold 12/6-21

Four-spotted Chaser (firflekklibelle) Libellula quadrimaculata male - Holmestrand, Vestfold 9/6-21

Broad-bodied Chaser (blåbredlibelle) Libellula depressa male - Horten, Vestfold 21/7-21
Recently Red Listed status as Vulnerable. 

Small Whiteface (småtorvlibelle) Leucorrhinia dubia male - Tønsberg, Vestfold 5/7-21

Small Whiteface (småtorvlibelle) Leucorrhinia dubia female - Holmestrand, Vestfold 9/6-21

Ruby Whiteface (østtorvlibelle) Leucorrhinia rubicunda male - Horten, Vestfold 3/6-21

Ruby Whiteface (østtorvlibelle) Leucorrhinia rubicunda - Horten, Vestfold female 12/6-21

Yellow-spotted Whiteface (gulflekktorvlibelle) Leucorrhinia pectoralis - Horten, Vestfold male 12/6-21

Lillypad Whiteface (vannliljetorvlibelle) Leucorrhinia caudalis male - Holmestrand, Vestfold 9/6-21

Black Darter (svarthøstlibelle) Sympetrum danae young female - Horten, Vestfold 18/8-21

Black Darter (svarthøstlibelle) Sympetrum danae female - Horten, Vestfold 18/8-21

Black Darter (svarthøstlibelle) Sympetrum danae male - Sandefjord, Vestfold 2/9-21

Ruddy Darter (blodhøstlibelle) Sympetrum sanuineum male - Holmestrand, Vestfold 17/8-21
ID: Deep red colour, clubbed abdomen, wholly black legs, long moustache, T-shape on thorax & yellow spot on base of wings.

Ruddy Darter (blodhøstlibelle) Sympetrum sanuineum male - Sandefjord, Vestfold 2/9-21
ID: Deep red colour, clubbed abdomen, wholly black legs, long moustache & T-shape on thorax.

Yellow-winged Darter (gulvingehøstlibelle) Sympetrum flaveolum male - Horten, Vestfold 18/8-21
ID: Large yellow area on hindwings with some yellow on forewings, straight sided scarlet coloured abdomen.  


Common Darter (senhøstlibelle) Sympetrum striolatum female - Holmestrand, Vestfold 19/7-21
ID: Yellowish patches on thorax, dark (not wholly black) legs, moustache without vertical lines and shape of vulvar scale (not very visible in this image)..

Common Darter (senhøstlibelle) Sympetrum striolatum male - Sandefjord, Vestfold 5/8-21
ID: Yellowish patches on thorax, dark (not wholly black) legs, moustache without vertical lines.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum very young female - Sandefjord, Vestfold 5/8-21
 ID: Moustache with vertical lines, pale stripes on thorax, dark (not wholly black) legs, and shape of vulvar scale (not very visible in this image).

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum young female - Horten, Vestfold 20/7-21
 ID: Moustache with vertical lines, pale stripes on thorax, dark (not wholly black) legs, and shape of vulvar scale (not visible in this image).

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum female - Sandefjord, Vestfold 5/8-21
 ID: Moustache with vertical lines, dark (not wholly black) legs, and shape of vulvar scale.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum  female - Horten, Vestfold 1/9-21
ID: Non of the diagnostic criteria is visible in this image including moustache with vertical lines, dark (not wholly black) legs, and shape of vulvar scale.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum old female - Horten, Vestfold 11/8-21
ID: Non of the diagnostic criteria is visible in this image including moustache with vertical lines, dark (not wholly black) legs, and shape of vulvar scale.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum very young male - Horten, Vestfold 4/8-21
ID: Moustache with vertical lines, dark (not wholly black) legs.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum very young male - Horten, Vestfold 4/8-21
ID: Moustache with vertical lines, pale lines and T-shape on front of thorax, dark (not wholly black) legs. The slightly clubbed abdomen is well illustrated in this example which often differs from Common Darter.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum young male - Horten, Vestfold 24/7-21
ID: Pale lines on front of thorax and dark legs visible otherwise non of the other diagnostic criteria is visible in this image.

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum male - Sandefjord, Vestfold 5/8-21
ID: Moustache with vertical lines, noticeable yellow striped legs & relatively uniform brown thorax. 

Moustached Darter (sørhøstlibelle) Sympetrum vulgatum male - Sandefjord, Vestfold 5/8-21
ID: Moustache with vertical lines, noticeable yellow striped legs & relatively uniform brown thorax.