Variable damselfly
| Variable damselfly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Coenagrionidae |
| Genus: | Coenagrion |
| Species: | C. pulchellum |
| Binomial name | |
| Coenagrion pulchellum (Vander Linden, 1825) | |
The variable damselfly or variable bluet (Coenagrion pulchellum) is a European damselfly. Despite its name, it is not the only blue damselfly prone to variable patterning.
Its behaviour is much like that of the azure damselfly; it usually stays close to vegetation. Immatures are often found in adjacent meadows or uncut grassy areas.
Description
The male variable damselfly has a distinctive "wine glass" marking on the second segment of the abdomen. This is a black U-shaped mark with a black line joining the segment's narrow terminal black band.[1] (This distinguishes it from the Azure Damselfly which has the U-shape but no line connecting it to the terminal band.)[1]
Male
S9 virtually unmarked_male_3.jpg)
Male
shoulder stripe unbroken_male.jpg)
Male
shoulder stripe just broken_male_2.jpg)
Male
shoulder strip broken.jpg)
Female
green-blue colour
Distribution
The variable damselfly occurs throughout Europe. Scattered and uncommon in mainland Britain but widespread and common in Ireland.[2]
References
- 1 2 Brooks, Steve (1997). Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing. ISBN 0-9531399-0-5.
- ↑ "Variable Damselfly". British Dragonfly Society. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coenagrion pulchellum. |