Bug FAQYellow-winged Darter
Sympetrum flaveolum · Order: Odonata · Family: Libellulidae
Also called: Yellow-Winged Sympetrum
Males have a red body while both sexes show extensive saffron-yellow colour on the base of each wing, especially the hind-wings. It breeds in stagnant water such as peat bogs that have thick, rush-filled margins. The species occurs in Europe and in parts of northern and central China.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males are red-bodied and both sexes have large patches of yellow at the wing bases, most obvious on the hind-wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It breeds only in still water, typically in peat bogs. Sites with dense rushy edges are especially attractive for breeding.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Nymphs live in nutrient-poor high-altitude lakes with submerged plants. As a common predator, it plays a significant role in the food chains of those alpine lakes.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
It has bred in the UK but never formed a lasting population. Each small colony that appeared eventually disappeared after a few years.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Found across Europe and in mid-to-northern China.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Other Sympetrum species may show a little yellow-orange near the wing base, especially in females, but never as extensively as this species.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I recognise a yellow-winged darter?
Males are red-bodied and both sexes have large saffron-yellow patches at the wing bases, most noticeable on the hind-wings.
Source: Wikipedia
What kind of water does it need to breed?
It requires still water such as peat bogs, especially where the margins are thick with rushes.
Source: Wikipedia
Is the yellow-winged darter native to the UK?
It has bred a few times in the UK but never established a permanent population.
Source: Wikipedia
When have yellow-winged darters been recorded in the UK?
Records of temporary colonies were made in 1906, 1926, 1945, 1953 and most recently in August 1995 at Killington Reservoir.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Libellulidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-winged_darter
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.