Variable Damselfly

Bat Damselfly ( Coenagrion pulchellum ), male

The bat Damselfly ( Coenagrion pulchellum ) is a dragonfly of the family Coenagrionidae ( Coenagrionidae ).

Features

The bat - Azurjungfer reached wingspans of 40 to 50 millimeters and is like most Azurjungfern built very slim. The males have a black and blue coloration on the thorax and the abdomen segments, which can be somewhat variable in its expression, but on the second abdominal segment always wears the typical black markings, vaguely reminiscent of a bat. The females have black and white markings on head and thorax and the abdomen segments also usually light blue - black drawn (see left image). However, your drawing is less characteristic in the forms and can take up almost completely black (see picture right) vary or in rarer cases, be green-black ( Hence engl. Variable Damselfly name ).

Risk of confusion with the Commons Blue Damselfly ( Enallagma cyathigerum ) and the average somewhat smaller, also living in the same habitat Azure Damselfly ( Coenagrion puella ). In this the black coloring shares of abdominal segments of males, however, are usually narrower, so that they act altogether rather light blue top. The eponymous in the German drawing on the second abdominal segment there is a square U similar ( opening to the side of the head ) - very far away: a horseshoe shape. The females of C. puella act against it from above always a total of almost black, as they show on the top surface but never very fine light blue drawings.

Way of life

The flight time of this dragonfly falls in the May to July, where they are found in the range of deeper, stagnant water with floating vegetation. The animals basking in the morning with slightly spread wings holding otherwise, however, mostly in the riparian vegetation. Mating occurs in flight or on leaves and other plant parts.

For oviposition punctures the female the eggs with her ovipositor in submerged aquatic plants parts, where they can immerse themselves also. The larvae stay on the plant growth and overwinter once.

Pictures

Females, normal color

Females, slightly darker color variant

Females, dark color variant

Females slightly reddish blue color variant

Paarungsrad

Paarungsrad wants to join plus the third male.