Nomads
Family Libellulidae (Leach, 1815)
- Genus Sympetrum Newman, 1833 True Daters
Distribution Worldwide
- A few species range into America, Africa and Asia The vast majority of the over 50 species are is found in the majority of habitats throughout the northern continents of the world, combining North Africa and all of Eurasia (with the exception of the southern Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent),
Africa
- 2 are found in north-western Africa
- One species visible in tropical Africa. This is known as the Nomad (Red-veined Darter in Europe) (S. fonscolombii). The Nomad ranges from Japan to the southern tip of Africa.
General identification features
- Mature male are a medium-sized (hindwing 26-31 mm) red dragonfly recalling Scarlets (Crocothemis) and Dropwings (Trithemis), but the fine black markings, white-sided red face, and whitish side-stripes on the thorax are distinctive
Habitat and behaviour
- Breeds in in exposed pools and lakes.
- It is nomadic and erratic in occurrence.
- In Africa it occurs mostly in drier and higher areas, being absent from much of western and central Africa, but locally common from Kenya north toward the Sahara and from Zimbabwe southward.
A selection of images:
