Rolf Nussbaumer / Black sympetrum dragonfly emerging from larval case {Sympetrum danae} Switzerland

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Black darter, (Sympetrum danae), female perched, Scotland, UK. August.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Black darter, (Sympetrum danae), female perched, Scotland, UK. August.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Black darter, (Sympetrum danae), female perched, Scotland, UK.August

Andy Sands / Black darter (Sympetrum danae) mating pair on Heather, Surrey, England, UK, July

Andy Sands / Black darter (Sympetrum danae) mating pair on Heather, Surrey, England, UK, July

Jussi Murtosaari / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) resting, Kymenlaakso, Finland, August.

Adrian Davies / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) pair mating. Surrey, England, UK, August.

Adrian Davies / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) pair mating. Surrey, England, UK, August.

Robert Thompson / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female at rest on Bog Asphodel, Montiaghs Moss, Aghalee, County Antrim, Ireland, July.

Colin Varndell / Black darter (Sympetrum danae) male, Dorset, UK, August.

Colin Varndell / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) male at rest. Dorset, UK August.

David Kjaer / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female Moreden Bog, Dorset, UK, August.

David Kjaer / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) male Moreden Bog, Dorset, UK, August.

David Kjaer / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female Moreden Bog, Dorset, UK, August.

David Kjaer / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female, Moreden Bog, Dorset, UK, August.

Andy Sands / Black darter dragonflies (Sympetrum danae) mating pair on heather, Surrey, England, UK. August

Jussi Murtosaari / Black darter (Sympetrum danae) old male and female mating, Jamsa, Keski-Suomi, Lansi- ja Sisa-Suomi / Central and Western Finland, Finland. August

Jussi Murtosaari / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) old male, Pirkanmaa, Lansi- ja Sisa-Suomi / Central and Western Finland, Finland. August

Kim Taylor / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) Surrey, England, September.

Bernard Castelein / Black Darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) caught in Sun-dew (Drosera intermedia), Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium

Jussi Murtosaari / Black meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female flying in tandem with male, Joutsa (formerly Leivonmaki), Finland, August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Black meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female flying in tandem with male, Joutsa (formerly Leivonmaki), Finland, August.

Adrian Davies / Black Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) mating pair, Surrey, England, UK, September.

Fergus Gill / Black Darter (Sympetrum danae) female perched on a reed. Flanders Moss NNR, Scotland, August.

Danny Green / Black darter (Sympetrum danae) male dragonfly resting on St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) Glenn Afric, Scotland, July . Bookplate from Danny Green's 'The Long Journey North'

Colin Varndell / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) male at rest, Studland Heath NNR, Dorset, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Black sympetrum / darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) resting on branch, Arne (RSPB) Nature Reserve, Dorset, UK, September.

Robert Thompson / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) male resting on Bog Asphodel, Montiaghs Moss, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, July

Robert Thompson / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female resting on Ling heather, Montiaghs Moss, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, July

Robert Thompson / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female resting on Bog Asphodel, Montiaghs Moss, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, July

Colin Varndell / Female Black Darter (Sympetrum danae) at rest. Studland Heath, Dorset, UK. July

Robert Thompson / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) male, Peatlands Country Park, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK, August

Robert Thompson / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) on heather flowers, Mourne Mountains, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, June

Robert Thompson / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) on Bell heather, Montiaghs Moss NNR, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, July

Steve Knell / Black darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female on heather, Glen Affric, Scotland, July

Paul Hobson / Black darter {Sympetrum danae} mating pair, Derbyshire, UK

Paul Hobson / Black darter {Sympetrum danae} recently emerged from pupal case, Derbyshire, UK

Ingo Arndt / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) covered in morning dew, Germany

Steve Knell / Black sympetrum / darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female on Slender St Johns wort (Hypericum pulchrum), UK

Steve Knell / Black sympetrum / darter dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female on Slender St Johns wort (Hypericum pulchrum), UK

Geoff Scott-Simpson / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) on heather in morning dew, Peak District NP, Derbyshire, UK

Bernard Castelein / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) moulting, Belgium

Steve Knell / Black sympetrum /darter dragonfly {Sympetrum danae} female, Scotland

Steve Knell / Black sympetrum (darter) dragonfly {Sympetrum danae} female, UK

Geoff Scott-Simpson / Black sympetrum dragonfly female (Sympetrum danae) Peak District, Derbyshire, UK

Bernard Castelein / Black sympetrum dragonfly, female (sympetrum danae) Kalmthoutse Heide, Belgium

Bernard Castelein / Black sympetrum dragonfly newly emerged from skin of subadult (Sympetrum danae) Kalmthoutse Heide, Belgium