Pruinescence

Very excited, possibly over-excited, at spotting a Scarce Chaser this morning. Scarce by name and scarce by nature, this dragonfly is only found in half a dozen counties. I found this one, and a couple of females (or possibly immature males) alongside the Wey & Arun Canal near Loxwood in West Sussex. Its an adult male. The black marks on segment five of its abdomen shows where the female has rubbed off the pruinescence during mating.