Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Golden-ringed Dragonfly
Golden-ringed Dragonfly
Cordulegaster boltonii, male
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Cordulegastridae
Genus: Cordulegaster
Species: C. boltonii
Binomial name
Cordulegaster boltonii
(Donovan, 1807)

The Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking dragonfly and the longest British species,[1] the only one of its genus to be found in Britain. [2]

Contents

Identification

They are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which no other dragonfly in Britain has. [3]

Larvae

The female lays the eggs in shallow water. The hairy larvae live at the bottom of the water and are well camouflaged amongst the silt. [4] They emerge after about 2-5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.

Behaviour

Female Cordulegaster boltonii at rest

They are often seen flying leisurely over mountain streams or a river; they also occasional show up at a pond. They are also typically seen flying over heath land. Their bright yellow and black stripes make them easy to identify, even from a fair distance away. They feed mainly on insects ranging from small prey such as midges to flies, butterflies and even bumble bees. This strikingly-coloured insect is incredibly aerobatic and they sometimes fly very high up into the sky. [5]

See also

  • List of British dragonflies

External links

References