Broad Scarlet

Broad Scarlet

Crocothemis erythraea

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Athens

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

7 Verified sightings at Athens
1,006 In all 24 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Broad Scarlet

The scarlet dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, and scarlet darter. The scarlet dragonfly is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa. It also occurs across western Asia as far as southern China. It is a very rare vagrant in Britain. Its first record in the country was at Hayle Kimbro Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall, on 7 August 1995. Since then there have been a few further records at scattered coastal or near-coastal locations in southeastern England from Dorset to Norfolk.

A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest. Crocothemis erythraea can reach a length of 33–44 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in). These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~40%
2 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~40%
3 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
4 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~30%
5 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
6 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~20%
7 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
8 Ranomafana National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~20%
9 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
10 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
11 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~20%
12 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
13 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
14 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
15 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
16 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
17 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
18 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
19 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
20 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
21 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
22 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
23 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
24 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Antananarivo 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~50%
2 Ouagadougou 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
~40%
3 Antalya 🇹🇷 Turkey
~40%
4 Serrekunda 🇬🇲 Gambia
~30%
5 Milan 🇮🇹 Italy
~20%
6 Kuwait City 🇰🇼 Kuwait
~20%
7 Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
8 Naples 🇮🇹 Italy
~20%
9 Turin 🇮🇹 Italy
~20%
10 Tel Aviv 🇮🇱 Israel
~20%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Broad Scarlet in Athens?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Broad Scarlet sighting in Athens on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 137th most-seen of the 242 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Broad Scarlet in Athens?

June

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Broad Scarlet in Athens on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months. That is one of Athens's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 85 mm in December.

What time of day is best to see a Broad Scarlet?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Broad Scarlet sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Athens the best place to see a Broad Scarlet?

33rd of 38

Of the 38 cities where we can rate Broad Scarlet sightings, Athens ranks 33rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Antananarivo (Madagascar, about 50%), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso, about 40%) and Antalya (Turkey, about 40%).

Which relatives of the Broad Scarlet live in Athens?

Same family: Libellulidae

The closest relatives of the Broad Scarlet that you can see in Athens (family Libellulidae, Skimmers) are Keeled Skimmer (about 20%), Nomad (about 10%) and Violet Dropwing (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Broad Scarlet sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Broad Scarlet is recorded against all the insects logged in Athens (7 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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