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Is this a form of Pyrrhosoma nymphula otherwise I haven't a clue what it might be. The photo data shows I took it in June 2010 on a stream in Surrey

Hi John,

I'm no expert but a quick flick through my ID guides shows that it can be narrowed down to Large Red, Small Red or a red form of Scarce Blue-tailed (which is more orange than red really). The black legs rule out Small Red Damsel (they have bright red legs, plus the pale stripes down the thorax are much finer or absent and the face is red). Scarce Blue-tailed is absent from Surrey (as far as I'm aware!) and again, the broad stripes on the thorax plus heavy black markings on the upper segments rule this species out, as do the black legs and face. Which leaves Large Red. The usual form is f.fulvipes. A very heavily marked form is called f.melanotum which shows extensive dark markings on most segments. I think your example is possibly of the intermediate form, f.intermedia (!) Note the pale yellow rings below each black mark on the segments which fits in nicely. Young adults are quite yellowish, the red colouration coming with maturity.

But I could have that a*se upwards, see what else is suggested! But it certainly looks like Large Red to me, a widespread species in Surrey.

Gibster.

I think it's a young female large red. The antehumeral stripes are initially yellow, as here, and turn red as it matures (except in the form melanotum, when they remain yellow, but that has a much darker abdomen). The abdominal markings look right for female large red to me.

Guy

I am always puzzled by immature females who look so much flashier than their parents, I find the same with homo sapiens

Thanks for the confirmation.