Four-Spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
• English name: Four-Spotted Chaser
• German name: Vierfleck
• French name: Libellule quadrimaculée
• Dutch name: Viervlek
• Swedish name: Fyrfläckad trollslända
• Norwegian name: Firflekklibelle
• Finnish name: Ruskohukankorento
• Danish name: Fireplettet libel
• Italian name: Libellula quadrimacchiata
• Czech name: vážka čtyřskvrnná
• Slovenian name: Lisasti ploščec
• Bulgarian name: Кафяво живениче
Four-Spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Not present
Present before 1990
Present after 1990
Present before and after 1990
Present after 2015
Map data based on J.-P. Boudot & V. J. Kalkman (eds.),
Atlas of the European Dragonflies and Damselflies
| General | • a medium-sized species of central and northern Europe; rarer in the south | |
| Classification | • suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Libellulidae | |
| Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern | |
| Scientific name | • Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
| Habitat | • all types of still waters | |
| Dimensions | • typical body length: 40-48 mm; hindwing: 32-40 mm | |
| Notes | • libellulids are 'sitters': males spend a lot of time perched at the water's edge, waiting for females | |
| Both sexes | Head | • the eyes are brown |
| Thorax | • the thorax is brown with bold black lines on the side but without an antehumeral stripe | |
| Abdomen | • dorsally S1-S6 are variable in colour: from light, orange-brown to dark brown; S7-S10 are black | |
| • S2-S9 bear (bright) yellow spots laterally | ||
| ➤ the abdomen is tapered in shape | ||
| Wings | ➤ the hindwing bears a large dark patch at the base | |
| ➤ the node bears a small dark spot | ||
| • in the form praenubila there are large dark patches at the node and the pterostigma | ||
| Photographs | • our photos below were made in many different countries; at our favourite sites here in Tuscany the species appears to have become even rarer than before |
