One of Africa’s most common and widely
distributed dragonflies, the male red-veined dropwing Trithemis arteriosa has a slender red abdomen and is named after
the bright red veins running across its wings. It can also be found and across
southern Europe and parts of the Middle East
including Saudi Arabia. The female and immature red-veined dropwing,
have a yellowish-russet abdomen with a pale streak between the wings. As with
other dropwing species, the wings are held downwards and forwards when at rest.
Both the male and female red-veined dropwing have orange flecks at the base of
the wings and large crimson eyes. The distinctive lower mouthparts are yellow
with a central bronze stripe. Black splashes run along the sides of the
abdomen, increasing in size up to the tip, which is entirely black. The flight
period for adult red-veined dropwings is throughout the year, although they are
more commonly seen during the summer months. Perching is thought to help the
red-veined dropwing locate and catch prey and allows the male red-veined
dropwing to lookout for female mates and intruders.
