In June 2025, the author of this website found a single male Cherry-eye Sprite on a rock in the river Guadiaro near the town of Cortes de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. This observation encompassed the first record ever of the species in Europe. The species is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and has a couple of populations in Morocco. Despite intensive search efforts by other odonatologists, no new sightings of the species were done in the weeks after. However, in September 2025 Spanish odonatologists found a small breeding population of Cherry-eye Sprites on the Río Guadalete, some 45 km away from the first location, confirming that the species has already established in Europe.
A report about the first known occurrence of the species in Europe was published in Odonatologica in December 2025.
