[1] It is found in Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi.

It is also present in southern Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Ocean Islands and South Asia to India.

[1][5] Since 2003 this African tropical dragonfly has been colonizing Europe helped by a widespread increase in temperatures.

The male is a medium-sized scarlet dragonfly with a broad reddish amber patch on the base of transparent wings.

It breeds in marshes, ponds, and lakes, and prefers to perch on exposed rocks, dry areas, and boulders in riverbeds.