Apparently this is one of the Lestidae but not a green Lestes. One of two “winter” damselflies in Europe, so called because they can survive over winter as adults.
We spotted our first one of these, the male below, at La Brenne in France, 2011, and initially thought we were looking at a female something because of the rather dull brown colouration. Then I noticed male appendages and knew we had something new. We seemed to see many more in 2012 and I’ve since discovered it at Hondo near Alicante in Spain.
“Dainty and drab”, says the book. I disagree, about the drab, anyway. Look at the way the colour shines in light.
Id Notes
- two-tone brown thorax
- long brown pterostigma
- abdominal segments topped by brown markings, s3-6 resembling bombs
| male | |||
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| female | |
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