Gebänderte Heidelibelle
(Sympetrum pedemontanum)

The Banded Darter is one of our prettiest and most recognisable dragonflies. It's a small, Central and Eastern European species. Sympetrum pedemontanum males have a deep-red abdomen, pinkish-red pterostigmas and a dark-brown band running through the front and hind wings (which gives the species its common name). The females have a yellow abdomen, their pterostigma is pale yellow and the wing bands are a slightly lighter brown. In Italy the species occurs only in the North; its scientific name is presumably derived from the region of Piemonte.

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