Southern Maid of the Maiden

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Southern Maid of the Maiden
Southern mermaid (Aeshna affinis), male

Southern mermaid ( Aeshna affinis ), male

Systematics
Order : Dragonflies (Odonata)
Subordination : Dragonflies (Anisoptera)
Superfamily : Aeshnoidea
Family : Noble dragonflies (Aeshnidae)
Genre : Maid of the Mosaic ( Aeshna )
Type : Southern Maid of the Maiden
Scientific name
Aeshna affinis
Vander Linden , 1820

The southern mosaic damsel ( Aeshna affinis ) is a type of dragonfly from the family of noble dragonflies (Aeshnidae). It is a type of Mediterranean area that currently appears to be expanding its area to the north due to climate change and can also reach northern Germany.

features

The southern mosaic maiden reaches wingspans of 8 to 8.5 centimeters and, with a body length of 6 to 6.5 centimeters, is one of the smaller noble dragonflies. The chest section ( thorax ) is brown on top, green on the sides with black stripes. There is a particular risk of confusion with the autumn mosaic maiden ( Aeshna mixta ), which, however, has a different lateral thorax drawing and coloring. The abdomen of the males is black with a strong blue mark on the top. The females are mottled light brown and yellow; but there are also blue-spotted (androchrome) females.

Way of life

The Southern Hawker is in the months from July to August sometimes sharply reeded also found lakes in the south of Central Europe along rivers. It is a wandering dragonfly that lives mainly in southern Europe and moves north in warm years. There it currently occurs irregularly and in varying degrees. A multiplication rarely takes place in northern areas.

The males fly along the reed edges and occasionally sit on the plants. This is also where mating takes place. Eggs are usually laid in tandem, with the male often clinging to vertical plant stems and the female sitting on the ground. It sticks the eggs into the damp soil. However, this egg laying can also take place unaccompanied.

  • Male in profile

  • female

  • Mating wheel

  • male-colored (androchrome) female

literature

  • H. Bellmann: Observe dragonflies - determine. Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg 1993, ISBN 3894401079 .
  • G. Jurzitza: The Kosmos dragonfly guide . Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3440084027 .
  • G. Peter: The noble dragonflies of Europe. (= Die Neue Brehm-Bücherei. Volume 585). Wittenberg 1987, ISBN 3740300507 .
  • K. Sternberg, B. Höppner, B. Schmidt: Aeshna affinis Vander Linden, 1820 - Southern mosaic maid. In: Sternberg, Buchwald (ed.): Die Libellen Baden-Württemberg. Volume 2: Dragonflies (Anisoptera). Ulmer, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-8001-3514-0 , pp. 8-23.

Web links

Commons : Southern Mosaikjungfer ( Aeshna affinis )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files