Black Darter  Sympetrum danae

A small dragonfly, slightly smaller than the other darters. Mature males unmistakable, being the only darter species recorded in the county to be mostly black, with yellow thorax side stripes and small amount of dull yellow on abdomen sides. Females and immature males similar to other darters, but combination of small size, black legs, dark triangle on top of thorax and more extensive black on abdomen tip should be enough to identify this rare visitor to our county.

 Status of Black Darter in Leicestershire & Rutland

Number of occupied 2km grid squares in Leicestershire & Rutland, up to the end of 2004: 6/720 There have been just six records of this species in Leicestershire & Rutland. These were at Charnwood Lodge NR in 1965 and again in 1985, at Great Bowden Pit in 1992, at May Meadow, Barlestone in 1995, at Barrow-on–Soar in 1997, at Nature Alive NR, Coalville in 2002, and at Woodhouse in 2003.

Distribution Map Black Darter 2004

 Black Darter Habitat

Like the Common Hawker, the Black Darter is generally restricted to acidic heathlands within the UK and similarly it would therefore be expected to occur here only as a rare wanderer. The closest breeding sites to Leicestershire & Rutland lie in the Derbyshire Peak District, some 50 km to the north west of the Leicestershire boundary.

 Flight period of Black Darter

 Black Darter Photo Gallery

 More Information

• See Ian Merrill's account of the fifth county record at Coalville in September 2003 here.