Black Darter

Most commonly found in northern and western parts of Britain. It has seen a general and significant decline over the past 50 years, particularly in England.

A species of peat moss and moorland, breeding in acidic ponds, bog pools and drainage ditches.

• Length: 29-34mm
• Black legs.
• Black pterostigma (wing spots).
• Male: black body with some yellow marking.
• Females: yellow-ochre with black markings. Dark triangle on
• Immature adults: similar colour to females.
• yellow abdomen and brown thorax marked with a black triangle on top. The side of the thorax and the lower part of the abdomen is strongly marked in black.

Darters have a squat, spider-like body-shape and a head that tapers back to the thorax.

Black Darter are the smallest Darter larvae: 13-16mm.

• Climate change; increasing temperatures and erratic rainfall threaten the species bog pool habitat.
• Ditch installation and drainage.
• Peat cutting.
• Forestation of the uplands.

Mature males are the only black dragonflies in the UK so are unmistakable.

Females and immature males resemble other darters. They can be separated by their:

• black pterostigma (wing spots).
• black panels on the sides of the body.
• dark triangle on the top of the thorax.