Sort hedelibel (Sympetrum danae)
• English name: Black Darter
• German name: Schwarze Heidelibelle
• French name: Sympétrum noir
• Dutch name: Zwarte heidelibel
• Swedish name: Svart ängstrollslända
• Norwegian name: Svart høstlibelle
• Finnish name: Tummasyyskorento
• Danish name: Sort hedelibel
• Italian name: Cardinale nero
• Czech name: vážka tmavá
• Slovenian name: Črni kamenjak
• Bulgarian name: N/A
Sort hedelibel (Sympetrum danae)
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 very small species of central and (north-)eastern Europe | |
Classification | • suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Libellulidae | |
Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern | |
Scientific name | • Sympetrum danae (Sulzer, 1776) | |
Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
Habitat | • bog ponds and moors | |
Dimensions | • typical body length: 29-34 mm; hindwing: 20-30 mm | |
Notes | • libellulids are 'sitters': males spend a lot of time perched at the water's edge, waiting for females | |
• all European Sympetrum species oviposit in tandem | ||
➤ the only Sympetrum species in Europe whose male does not have any red on the abdomen | ||
Both sexes | Wings | • the pterostigma is black |
Legs | ➤ the legs are all black | |
Male | Thorax | • the thorax is black with, on the side, two large yellow bands; the third band (in the middle) is black with three yellow spots; in mature males this yellow colour darkens to a dull brown |
Abdomen | ➤ the abdomen is black with yellow spots on top; in mature males this yellow colour darkens to a dull brown | |
Female | Thorax | • the top of the thorax is yellow/brown with a black triangle |
• the side of the thorax is black with two large yellow bands; the third band (in the middle) is black with three yellow spots; in old females this yellow colour may darken to a dull brown | ||
Abdomen | • the underside of the abdomen is black, while the top is yellow; in old females this yellow colour may darken to a dull brown | |
➤ the large vulvar scale sits perpendicular to the abdomen | ||
Photographs | • our photos below were made in northern Italy, Bavaria, Finland and the Netherlands |