Aeshna viridis

Green Darner ( Aeshna viridis), older males

The Green Darner ( Aeshna viridis ) is a species of dragonfly in the family of precious Dragonflies ( Aeshnidae ), which belong to the suborder of large dragonflies ( Anisoptera ). It is in the Green Darner a large dragonfly with a wingspan of up to 8.5 centimeters.

Features

The Green Darner reached wingspans of 8 to 8.5 centimeters. The chest section (thorax ) of the animals is yellow - green, with the side faces are green and not, as in the Autumn Hawker ( Aeshna mixta ) bear a striking line drawing. On the upper side of the thorax they have two large green stains that never are in contrast to the blue-green Darner ( Aeshna cyanea ) really oval, but can look very similar. Both types differ in the abdomen and in the thorax drawing pages that are almost monochrome in Aeshna viridis, Aeshna cyanea at a marked black line drawing. The abdomen (abdomen ) of the male is dark brown to black with a blue drawing of the female brown with a green drawing.

Way of life

The Green Darner is to be found in the months of July to October during the stagnant waters of the northern part of Central Europe, including northern Germany. Here ( Stratiotes aloides ) their occurrence is the existence of the crab claw dependent, in which the females insert their eggs almost exclusively. Your hunting flights usually take place at dusk.

In the morning the dragonflies are found in waters close to plants. The males fly in search of a suitable partner on the floating leaves of grass crab claw. Try doing other males, but also other dragonfly species (eg Aeshna grandis) kept away from the spawning grounds. Mating takes place, however, with very high probability the water's edge or on the shore. The females fly in good weather until evening with loud audible wing noise for oviposition between the cancer scissor blades.

Larval development

The eggs overwinter as such, the larvae hatch until the following year. The larval development takes two to three years. The slip takes place in July.

Laterally

Endangering

The Green Darner is on the Red List of Germany in the Category 1 - an endangered species - out. The disappearance of the bubble is caused by due to their close ties to the crab claw to the same causes as the disappearance of the plant.