Cordulegaster boltonii
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking species of dragonfly found widely in Europe and locally in northwestern Africa, especially near flowing waters like streams. It is the longest British species of dragonfly, and the only member of its genus to be found in the United Kingdom.
In the United Kingdom, they are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which is not found in any other dragonfly in the country. A very large species, males average 74 mm (2.9 in) and the longer females average 84 mm (3.3 in). Wingspan is up to 101 mm (4.0 in). The female is the longest British dragonfly, in part due to the unusually long ovipositor, and in other measurements it is exceeded by the emperor (Anax imperator).
The female lays the eggs in shallow water. The hairy larvae live at the bottom of the water and are well camouflaged amongst the silt. They emerge after about 2–5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness. They are often seen flying leisurely over mountain streams or a river; they also occasionally show up at a pond. They are also typically seen flying over heath land. Their... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 6 | Picos de Europa National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 7 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 8 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 9 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Golden-Ringed Dragonfly sighting in Porto on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 264th most-seen of the 498 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April to July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Golden-Ringed Dragonfly in Porto on a given day, against under 5% in August to March, the lowest months. Those are among Porto's driest months, with about 50 mm of rain a month against 140 mm in January.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Golden-Ringed Dragonfly sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Golden-Ringed Dragonfly sightings, Porto has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Lisbon (Portugal, under 5%).
Same order: Odonata
The closest relatives of the Golden-Ringed Dragonfly that you can see in Porto (order Odonata, Dragonflies and Damselflies) are Copper Demoiselle (about 10%), Keeled Skimmer (about 10%) and Large Red Damselfly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Golden-Ringed Dragonfly is recorded against all the insects logged in Porto (16 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.
