The Southern Hawker/Blue Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) displays some variation in colour, which I learned a little late, so I thought it was worth documenting here.
- ♂ male
- Classically the male has a green-spotted Abdomen very distinctive blue spots, the so-called tail light, on S8-S10. However, there is also a blue form with blue spots on the abdomen throughout. Some suggest that this form is less than fully mature and that the green of the classic form will eventually develop with age. However, Smallshire/Swash says:
… there is a rare [male] form in which all abdominal segments have blue markings.
- ♀ female
- Normally the female is marked with green throughout. However, there is a so-called androchrome colour form with a blue spotted abdomen. Notice that this abdomen is blue throughout and does not directly mimic the mature male form.
