Spotted emerald dragonfly
| Spotted emerald dragonfly | ||||||||||||
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Spotted emerald dragonfly |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Somatochlora flavomaculata | ||||||||||||
| ( Vander Linden , 1825) |
The spotted emerald dragonfly ( Somatochlora flavomaculata ) is a species of falcon dragonfly up to six centimeters long with a wingspan of seven centimeters. The name refers to triangular yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen. In older specimens, these can gradually darken. In the female, the light side triangles are larger than in the male. The remaining yellow spots, which are mainly on the underside and on the head, are also characteristics of other emerald dragonflies of the genus Somatochlora . The blackish basic color is rather matt-glossy.
Habitat and Distribution
Swampy sedge and rush meadows, fen bogs, weedy ditches, reed beds and wet forest clearings are preferred to open waters. The males are often found patrolling the edges of forests far from water. Because of the loss of many wetlands due to surface drainage, the species is declining in some places. In Germany, for example, it is considered to be “highly endangered”. It is a little more common here, especially in the Alpine foothills and in Brandenburg. In Switzerland, the central plateau is mainly populated.
The spotted emerald dragonfly is widespread from western France to Mongolia, but mostly occurs rarely and in isolated populations. Unlike most other emerald dragonflies, Somatochlora flavomaculata is not found in boreal-alpine regions. Rather, it has its main occurrences in valleys, floodplains and lowland areas with favorable temperatures. It is characterized as a Euro-Siberian fauna element with a main distribution in Eastern Europe.
Reproduction
This species of dragonfly flies from late May to mid-August (September), with a maximum in June and July. She is a downright long-term flier with few breaks. The development time of the eggs laid in the bottom sludge is three to eight weeks. It can survive several weeks of drying out without damage. In the third year of larval development the transformation which takes place imagines .
literature
- Klaas-Douwe B Dijkstra: Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe. British Wildlife Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0-9531399-4-8
- Helgard Reichholf-Riehm: Insects. Orbis Verlag, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-572-01088-8
- Klaus Sternberg & Karin Ullrich: Somatochlora flavomaculata Vander Linden, 1825 - Spotted emerald dragonfly. P. 265–275 in: Sternberg / Buchwald (Ed.): Die Libellen Baden-Württemberg. Volume 2: Dragonflies (Anisoptera). Ulmer, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-8001-3514-0
