Male. Taken at Crockford Stream, Hants, on July 15th 2011. Click image for a larger version.
(1/250th sec at F11. Approx 1x life size.)

© David Hastings

Description

Wingspan: 82 - 100 mm; Body length: 77 - 83 mm
 
The Common Goldenring is a distinctive, large and impressive dragonfly. It favours streams and small rivers which have acidic running water, so is mostly found in southern and western Britain.
 
The sexes are similar, with green eyes which meet at a single point. The thorax has black and yellow stripes, with tapering yellow antihumeral stripes. The abdomen is black, with alternate broad and narrow yellow rings. The wings have a yellow costa. The male's abdomen is slightly waisted at S3, and it is swollen at the tip. The female's abdomen doesn't have the waist at S3, but it does have a long ovipositor which extends straight out beyond S10. Immature specimens are similar to the adults, but have brown eyes.
 
The males are territorial, and patrol up and down suitable breeding waters, their slow flight being interspersed with frequent hovering. Adults often hunt away from the breeding sites, such as amongst bracken, heather and gorse.

Sightings

16-Jul-2011	:	Crockford Stream, Hants (1m)
15-Jul-2011	:	Crockford Stream, Hants (3m)