RED-VEINED DARTER
The red-veined darter or nomad, as it is also known, is easily the most common dragonfly in Southeast Kefalonia. It may only reach a length of 33 to 40mm, but it is still the largest of the darters here. The males have red veins on their wings, a red abdomen with black marks on the last 3 segments and a red-brown thorax. The females are ochre yellow with 2 black lines along either side of the abdomen, and yellow veins on her wings. Both sexes have wonderful bi-coloured eyes, brown on the top part of the eye and blue grey on the bottom half.
The red-veined darter has a wide range of habitats, including marshes, lakes, ponds, permanent and seasonal rivers, and ditches. The adults can be seen flying all through the year here, in fact I have seen them mating in December. The males are very territorial, chasing away rivals and using high perches to watch from, but it is common to see the females perching high up in shrubs, although they are using the height to detect prey. Ater copulation, the pair stay in tandem for egg laying, with the female dipping her abdomen into the water to lay her eggs. Katelios, is a wonderful place to spot these dragonflies.
