Variable Damselfly

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)

Coenagrion pulchellum, the Variable Damselfly or Variable Bluet, 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.

Contents

Description

male damselfly
Male C. pulchellum

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]

Distribution

The Variable Damselfly occurs throughout Europe. Scattered and uncommon in mainland Britain but widespread and common in Ireland.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Brooks, Steve (1997). Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing. ISBN 0953139905. 
  2. ^ "Variable Damselfly". British Dragonfly Society. http://british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/variable-damselfly. Retrieved 27 May 2011. 

External links

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