Dark rush maiden
| Dark rush maiden | ||||||||||||
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Dark rush damsel ( Lestes macrostigma ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Read macrostigma | ||||||||||||
| ( Eversmann , 1836) |
The dark rush damsel ( Lestes macrostigma ) is a dragonfly of the genus of the rush damsel ( Lestes ) and belongs to the family of the pond damsel (Lestidae).
description
The dragonflies reach a wingspan of 5 to 5.5 centimeters. They are colored light blue and strong blue on the head and thorax . They have a black abdomen , which is also colored light blue at the end and is slightly thickened. They are generally darker in color than other rush maiden. The wing mark, which extends over three cells, is striking.
Similar species
The dark rush maiden look similar to the other rush maiden, but can be easily distinguished by the mark on the wing.
Occurrence
They are widespread in southern and western Europe , but only locally represented and especially common in the Mediterranean region around Greece , far to the east. Occasionally they are also found in Central Europe , e.g. B. in Slovenia ( Bela krajina region ). They live specifically on shallow, salty lakes. They fly from May to September.
Way of life
The behavior of the animals is very similar to that of the other rush girls. The animals are usually found sitting on vertical parts of the plant, where mating takes place in tandem. The eggs are grown in the mating wheel in vertical plants protruding from the water, such as B. rushes stung. The egg-laying takes place very rarely without the male. What is special about this species is that they fly far and wide.
development
The eggs overwinter before the larvae hatch. These only need 8 to 10 weeks to develop. It can therefore be assumed that several generations occur each year. The larvae prefer to feed on small crustaceans and mosquito larvae .
literature
- Gerhard Jurzitza: The Kosmos Dragonfly Guide, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co., Stuttgart, 2000, ISBN 3-440-08402-7
Individual evidence
- ↑ Matej Simčič, "Naša naravna dediščina-Kačji pastirji Bele krajine" (Eng. Our natural heritage - The dragonflies of Bela krajina) in Dolenjski list, Novo mesto, August 21, 2014, p. 18