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@sarahlonges.bsky.socialOct 5, 2026, 6:29 PM

Darter Delight #ShareMondays2026

A vibrantly coloured, immature #red-veined #darter #dragonfly seen in the #ruins of the #AncientAgora of #KosTown last week 🇬🇷💙 #nature #wildlife @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @greenwingstours.bsky.social @dailykos.com #Greece #KosIsland #FujifilmUK #odonata

During a trip to the Greek island of Kos last week, I went looking for some of my favourite butterflies and dragonflies in the grounds of the Ancient Agora, in the heart of Kos Town. I was delighted to find this immature male red-veined darter.

As it matures, its vivid red colouration gradually replaces the yellows with which it first emerges — colouring that is retained by the female — creating a subject even more striking than it will eventually become. It’s practically a rainbow with wings!

Red-veined darters have traditionally been a species of southern Europe, but as the climate warms they are being recorded more frequently in Central Europe. In the UK, they remain mainly summer migrants in the far south, but I suspect they will eventually establish stable breeding populations as our climate continues to change. For me, though, I’ll always associate them with the Greek Islands in early autumn.

Here’s a description of the image for those with visual impairments:

An immature red-veined darter dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is perched on a slender green stem, shown in crisp horizontal profile and facing left. The plant stem acts as a leading line, extending from the bottom-left corner and angling upwards to cradle the insect. Its large compound eyes are strikingly two-toned: brownish-red above and bright powder-blue below. The thorax is pale golden-green and ochre, rather than the deep red of a mature male, while the abdomen is predominantly golden-yellow and light orange, with red just beginning to develop along its upper ridge. Four clear, intricately veined wings extend from the body, with golden-yellow bases and pale, black-edged pterostigmata. Its dark legs grip the stem firmly. The background is completely blurred, a soft, minimalist wash of muted olive green and earthy beige.
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