Lestes macrostigma
Encyclopedia
Lestes macrostigma is a damselfly
of the family Lestidae
. Its common name is the Dark Emerald Damselfly or Dark Spreadwing and it has the typical appearance of a Lestes
damselfly; it has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. It is usually found in brackish waters.
and Asia
to Mongolia
, nearly always in coastal habitats. It is found in southern France, Spain, Greece, Turkey and on many Mediterranean islands including Sardinia
, Sicily
, Menorca and Cyprus
. It occurs, but is uncommon, in Italy, Hungary, Austria, and southern Germany. There are no records from north Africa. It is found in still water in ponds, lakes and pools, almost always in brackish conditions.
with a dark metallic green body. In the field it can be identified in th efield as there is a blue pruinescence on the thorax and the base of the abdomen in both sexes. It has large brown/black rectangular pterostigma
and blue eyes. Like other Lestes its anal appendages are characteristic.
. It overwinters as a diapause
egg which hatches out in spring. The larvae then undergo rapid development and the adults emerge after eight to ten weeks. The adults move away from the larval pools to mature. They return to mate and stay in tandem whilst the female lays her eggs in the stems of overhanging vegetation.
Damselfly
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...
of the family Lestidae
Lestidae
Lestidae is a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies. They are of the order of the dragonflies and are commonly known as "Spreadwings." There are two subfamilies in Lestdae. The first subfamily is Lestinae. Damselflies in Lestinae rest with their wings partly open...
. Its common name is the Dark Emerald Damselfly or Dark Spreadwing and it has the typical appearance of a Lestes
Lestes
Lestes is a genus of damselfly in family Lestidae. The family hold their wings at about 45 degrees to the body when resting. This distinguishes them from most other species of damselflies which hold the wings along, and parallel to, the body when at rest....
damselfly; it has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. It is usually found in brackish waters.
Distribution and habitat
L. macrostigma is a species with a southerly distribution and is found across EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, nearly always in coastal habitats. It is found in southern France, Spain, Greece, Turkey and on many Mediterranean islands including Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Menorca and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. It occurs, but is uncommon, in Italy, Hungary, Austria, and southern Germany. There are no records from north Africa. It is found in still water in ponds, lakes and pools, almost always in brackish conditions.
Identification
It is the largest of the European LestesLestes
Lestes is a genus of damselfly in family Lestidae. The family hold their wings at about 45 degrees to the body when resting. This distinguishes them from most other species of damselflies which hold the wings along, and parallel to, the body when at rest....
with a dark metallic green body. In the field it can be identified in th efield as there is a blue pruinescence on the thorax and the base of the abdomen in both sexes. It has large brown/black rectangular pterostigma
Pterostigma
The pterostigma is a cell in the outer wing of insects which is often thickened or coloured and so stands out from other cells. It is particularly noticeable in dragonflies, but present also in other insect groups, such as snakeflies, hymenopterans and megalopterans.The purpose of the pterostigma,...
and blue eyes. Like other Lestes its anal appendages are characteristic.
Behaviour
Flight period is from mid May to mid September. L. macrostigma is very similar in its behaviour to L. sponsaLestes sponsa
Lestes sponsa, is a damselfly, with a wide Palaeartic distribution. It is known commonly as the Emerald Damselfly or Common Spreadwing. Both males and females have a metallic green colour and when resting its wings are usually half opened....
. It overwinters as a diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
egg which hatches out in spring. The larvae then undergo rapid development and the adults emerge after eight to ten weeks. The adults move away from the larval pools to mature. They return to mate and stay in tandem whilst the female lays her eggs in the stems of overhanging vegetation.
See also
- List of damselflies of the world (Lestidae)
- Lestes dryasLestes dryasLestes dryas is a species of damselfly which is found across Europe, Asia and North America. In North America it is known as the Emerald Spreadwing and this name is becoming more widely used in Europe. In Britain, it is very rare so its common name is the Scarce Emerald Damselfly. An alternate name...
- Lestes sponsaLestes sponsaLestes sponsa, is a damselfly, with a wide Palaeartic distribution. It is known commonly as the Emerald Damselfly or Common Spreadwing. Both males and females have a metallic green colour and when resting its wings are usually half opened....
- Lestes virensLestes virensThe Small Emerald Damselfly or Small Spreadwing, Lestes virens is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has the typical appearance of a Lestes damselfly; it has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body....
- Lestes barbarusLestes barbarusLestes barbarus is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has the typical appearance of a Lestes damselfly; it has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name in English is the Migrant Spreadwing but in Great Britain it is often known as the Southern...
- Lestes viridisLestes viridisChalcolestes viridis, formerly Lestes viridis, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body...
- Lestes parvidensLestes parvidensChalcolestes parvidens, formerly Lestes parvidens, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name in English is the Eastern Willow Spreadwing.-Taxonomy:...