Scarce Emerald Damselfly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (June 2008)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Suborder:	Zygoptera
Family:	Lestidae
Genus:	Lestes
Species:	L. dryas

Binomial name

Lestes dryas
(Kirby, 1890)

The Scarce Emerald Damselfly, (Lestes dryas) is a species of damselfly. In Britain, it is found only in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk and is a rare and enigmatic species, which tolerates extreme conditions that few other dragonflies can survive.

1 Identification
2 Eggs and larva
3 Behaviour
4 Population in Britain

[edit] Identification

Like the Emerald Damselfly, both sexes have largely metallic green bodies with a bronze iridescence, and often rest with their wings half spread.

The male has blue eyes. Powder blue pruinescence develops on the front and end of the abdomen, the pronotum and the sides of the thorax.

The female has brown eyes, a chunky abdomen, lacking any blue, with beige underparts.

[edit] Eggs and larva

Elongated eggs are laid, usually above water, into plant stems, such as rushes, which are covered as water levels rise in winter. The eggs hatch in Spring and the larvae emerge after about eight weeks.

They breed mainly round the Thames estuary and in a few inland lakes in Norfolk and Ireland.