Domestic dragonflies - Germany / Federal Republic of Germany 1991 - 60 Pfennig

The bloodred darters (Sympetrum sanguineum Müller, 1764, family Libellulidae) is one of the most common Central European darters, one of the few species not previously threatened. It is characterized by the blood-red abdomen, the fire-red face and the chocolate-colored breast of the males, the uniform black legs and the colorless transparent wings. The female is yellow-brown to reddish in color, often a little blue on the sides; Body length about 37 mm. The bloodred Darter inhabits stagnant, nutrient-rich waters of all kinds with well-trained sedimentation zones, reed belts and horsetail marshes, regularly also fish ponds. The eggs are deposited outside the water, overwinter in the dry, and only in the spring, the larvae hatch. These stay between water plants. At the end of June, the hatching of the full-time moths begins and they fly into October. The distribution area of ​​the species extends over Europe, Asia and North Africa. The four species of dragonfly depicted in this stamp series belong to the great dragonflies (Suborder Anisoptera), which are characterized by the unequal shape of the two wing pairs and the very large eyes. (Text: Dr. Kurt R. Günther, Berlin)