Sympetrum fonscolombii (Selys, 1840)

Pompilio, Lucia & Mosini, Andrea, 2021, The Odonate fauna of Val Grande National Park (Insecta: Odonata), Fragmenta entomologica 53 (1), pp. 25-42 : 35

22. Sympetrum fonscolombii (Selys, 1840)

Conservation and breeding status: LC (EU), LC (IT), LC (MED), NB

S. fonscolombii is a holarctic lentic dragonfly that was recorded in LPO (8,9) and CPB (11,12,14); breeding was not confirmed although two immature individuals were observed in CPB, but this does not provide solid evidence of reproduction. This dragonfly tends to be gregarious at the end of summer, when large swarms may be observed. It was the fifth most abundant species in VGNP and surrounding areas and its numbers may have been underestimated, as 4 records refer to groups of uncounted individuals. S. fonscolombii is a migrant and can be found at high altitudes during migration ( Borisov et al. 2020). In Piedmont it is widespread and abundant and it can be observed from the plains up to the Alps ; the majority of records come from

sites below 600 m, although reproduction was reported as exceptionally high at 2200 m ( Wildermuth et al. 2005; Boano et al. 2007). Later surveys revealed that this species occurs in almost the whole alpine area of Piedmont ( Riservato et al. 2014c); due to its migratory behaviour, most records coming from high elevations refer to either isolated or groups of dispersing individuals ( Bionda et al. 2013; Pettavino 2015).