Jet black dragonfly i.d. help

[Words]

No photo, I'm afraid, but at lunchtime today I saw what looked like or more or less jet black dragonfly. It flew passed at around head height and circled around very briefly and then it was off. The body was very black, as were the wings.

Location is south coast (Sussex), in a built up area edging on to woodland.

I can't find any photos that look like it, so wondered what it was. Help appreciated. I'm fairly sure I could recognize it again from a photo.

Thanks

[Dogghound]

Black Darter

[Words]

Thanks Dogghound. What was confusing me is that the wings looked black while it was flying. I guess the movement makes them looked solid. Does that make sense?

[Dogghound]

Yes i know what you mean, also melanism is an option although im unsure how common this is in dragonflies.

[Harry Eales]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Black Darter

Hmmm,

I'm not quite so sure about Black Darter, if it is a Black Darter it's two weeks early in a year which most species are running some two weeks late.

Second BD's tend to fly very low, and close to the ground, hardly likely to be flying at higher than head height.

Third, it's one of the smallest of the Darters and not readily noticed.

Forth, It's by no means a common species on the south coast.

Fifth, only really mature males appear to be black and even then the yellow markings are quite visible. Even in a hot year males wouldn't be fully mature this early in the season.

I suspect it may have been a Common Darter seen in Silhouette, this is already on the wing even where I live. However, as with most D/flies, without a photograph, no one can be positive of the ID. Certainly as a County Recorder for the BDS, I wouldn't accept a record on such weak evidence (No offence meant)

Harry

[dmclean2]

Hi Words,
I live on the south east coast and got this shot last year of a black darter did it look like this?
Cheers Duncan

[aeshna5]

I tend to agree with Harry that I'm sceptical it's a Black Darter on time of year + habitat, though they can turn up anywhere as migrants in atypical habitat. Possibly a Downy Emerald which is dark coloured, though is a scarce species, whch favours pools by woodland?

[Words]

I was talking to a colleague so didn't have time to grab a shot (camera was still in the bag). It came past about shoulder height but definitely went higher as it flew away. The black wings were what caught my attention. The movement was definitely dragonfly like, and I was close enough I hope not to have mistaken a black butterfly (which is now nagging in my mind). But I can't think of a butterfly that would look like that. A silhouette is possible (sun was behind it), but wouldn't have blackened the wings. That was what was so odd.

I'll have to lurk around the same spot tomorrow if I get a chance (but getting a photo ain't going to be easy).

And Harry... no offence taken. I wouldn't trust it for record keeping either.

But thanks all for the comments. The Downy Emerald is another interesting possibility (thanks aeshna).

[nightshade]

I was watching some red damsels one of them appeared black and as I videoed it the angle changed and it became as red as the others couldthis be a similar situation?

[LindaB]

I would also have thought too early for a Black Darter.

I would also doubt it to be a Downy Emerald as they are extremely fast and would literally only have spent seconds in clear view and it would be off again. Plus it sounds like it would have been well away from its normal habitat.

My suggestion would be that you could have seen a male Beautiful Demoiselle. They are much slower and flutter at varying heights - could be mistaken for a butterfly if unfamiliar with demoiselle's. Also if it was overcast it could appear very dark/black, again to the unfamiliar eye.

I did in fact see one myself around the car park at work today, it was quite out of its normal surroundings.

Look at this pic and see if its similar
British Dragonfly Society - Beautiful Demoiselle


Linda