page_title: List of dragonflies of Menorca
section_title: Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies)
hierarchical_section_title: List of dragonflies of Menorca / Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies)
caption_attribution_description: English: Red-veined darter dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) on Menorca
context_page_description: Menorca is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Along with Majorca, Ibiza, and Formentera it is part of the Balearic Islands. It has a population of approximately 88,000. It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. It is a dry island without many wetlands or river systems; many of the wetlands in Menorca were drained to provide agricultural land. Despite this dragonflies are abundant on Menorca and in summer any pool of water will be alive with them. The best months to see dragonflies are May to September.
  The taxonomy follows that of Dijkstra, K-D.B & Lewington, R.
context_section_description: Family Aeshnidae (hawkers and emperors)
  Aeshna affinis, blue-eyed hawker
  Aeshna mixta, migrant hawker
  A. affinis and A. mixta are very alike in appearance. Blue aeshna are frequently seen in late summer but there are not many positive identifications of either species on record.
  Aeshna isoceles often put into the genus Anaciaeschna, green-eyed hawker - this species flies early in the year and is the only brown aeshna found on Menorca. Can be seen in the Algendar gorge.
  Anax imperator, emperor dragonfly also called blue emperor - common
  Anax parthenope, lesser emperor
  Family Libellulidae (chasers, skimmers and darters)
  Libellula depressa, broad-bodied chaser
  Orthetrum cancellatum, black-tailed skimmer - fairly common
  Orthetrum coerulescens, keeled skimmer - fairly common
  Sympetrum striolatum, common darter - common
  Sympetrum fonscolombii, red-veined darter - common
  crocothemis erythraea, scarlet dragonfly or broad scarlet - fairly common
  Most darters seen in Menorca with a very red colouring are S. fonscolombii but some are C. erythraea which occurs in many of the same locations. On close observation these two species can be told apart as they have quite different body shapes. Also S. fonscolombii usually oviposits in tandem whereas female C. erythraea oviposit solo.
caption: Sympetrum fonscolombii the red-veined darter, Algendar gorge, Menorca
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