Recent records of Red-veined Dropwing Trithemis arteriosa in eastern Cyprus.
Nigel Cottle 

The presence of Trithemis arteriosa in Cyprus has been overlooked in recent publications e.g. Die Libellenfauna von Cypern (Lopau & Adena, 2002) and Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe (Dijkstra et al., 2006). This note records the occurrence of this species at five sites in the east of the island during September and October 2006.

Site A is approximately 1km west of Ayia Napa Sewage Works at WD937725. A female was seen on 15 Sep perched close to a Zizyphus lotus bush beside a stony track. A subsequent visit a week later failed to relocate the insect.

Site B is near Ayios Nikolaos Station in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (35.06.45N 033.53.15E, 19m ASL)(WD807853). On 19 Sep two females were seen perched on Zizyphus lotus. This is a dense, thorny species of bush and any attempt to catch one of these individuals would only have resulted in a shredded net! Subsequent visits failed to locate the species until, at midday, on 11 Oct a female was found about 50m from the original sighting; on this occasion a strong wind thwarted attempts to net the insect. At about 10:30 the following morning, and in the same spot, first a female and then a male were seen. The male was successfully netted, examined, photographed in the hand and then released. Further visits failed to locate any insects until, on 5 Nov, a male was found perched on the ground close to a plastic-lined irrigation pond at WD808852. It appeared close to death and was unable to fly.

Site C is also in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA) about 3.5km southwest of Site B (WD808852). On 25 Sep a female was seen beside the track that runs alongside the border between the ESBA and the north. Subsequent visits failed to relocate the insect.

Site D is on farmland above Akhna Dam, a shallow reservoir with much-reduced water levels during the summer months. On 4 Oct a solitary female was seen beside a stony track perched on dead vegetation at WD736785. Again, subsequent visits failed to relocate the insect.

Site E is at Cape Greco (WD9718669274) where a female was seen perched on a path-side bush on 22 Oct. The most interesting thing about this observation is that this is the first female I have seen without the dark nodal and apical wing markings.

(Mail: Nigel Cottle, 20 October 2006, e-mail nigel.cottle{at}cytanet.com.cy, replace {at} by @)