![]() ![]() It is one of those species that has benefitted from urbanisation because of its preference for permanent ponds bordered by trees or bushes - parks and gardens provide this habitat in abundance. ![]() This is the Spreadwing most likely to be seen in gardens in France and can be seen from July to October in the Touraine and Berry. Western Willow Spreadwing Lestes viridis Known in Britain as the Willow Emerald Damselfly and in France as le leste vert - so the British, French and scientific name all tell you that the creature is green. ![]() The species can be seen from May to September and is common in the area. The male (above, right) was photographed nearby on the same ridge - note the pale hooks at the tip of the abdomen, used for clasping the female when mating (both upper and lower appendages are visible if you click on the image to make it full size). ![]() It was resting on Common Gorse Ulex europaeus at the edge of a flowery fallow field at the top of a low hill. The female pictured (above, left) was photographed in June near Roux, a hamlet just outside of Preuilly-sur-Claise. The species is unusual in that it prefers ephemeral sites and is more often than not seen in places that do not seem promising as breeding sites, such as meadows that dry out in summer. The English names all reflect very noticeable features of this species' life cycle and appearance: it is strongly migratory, reaching Britain every couple of years these days it has the typical Spreadwing habit of perching with its wings held loosely open its range covers the whole of southern Europe (and more, as it is becoming increasingly common in the north) both sexes are an elegant combination of metallic emerald green and cream. Migrant Spreadwing Lestes barbarus Known as the Southern Emerald Damselfly in Britain and le leste sauvage in France ie the 'savage predator' (the scientific name means the same). For more about Demoiselles, see my previous posts here. Around Preuilly-sur-Claise they can be seen from May to September. The female is from the same month and we met her in the grounds of Chenonceau - clearly keeping up the château's association with beautiful ladies. All around him, poor little newly emerged Featherlegs (see below) were being blown sideways across the sports field like little bits of straw at harvest time. The pictured male was taken on the riverbank at Yzeures-sur-Creuse on an extremely windy day in June, so he was struggling a bit with the conditions - clinging on for dear life, as close to the ground as possible, in the hopes of lessening the buffeting. The species likes open running water, but not too cold, not too fast and tumbling, not too big in surface area, not too high above sea level, and not too shady. The equally metallic emerald green females (above, bottom) with their yellow cellophane wings are much more low profile. Well - the metallic navy blue males (above, top) are frequently seen. You usually only see them close to rivers and they are often common and extremely visible, flapping lazily about taking frequent rests on long grass, overhanging twigs or lily pads. So, we are all agreed then - this is a dazzling creature. The scientific name echoes this theme, meaning the shining beautiful wings. imm.Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens In French le caloptéryx éclatant (ie brilliant or flagrant).♂ – blue side of thorax and antehumeral stripes.♂ – dorsal side of abdomen bronze-black except S8 which is blue.Some friends have also recorded a couple of female variations additional to the traditionally documented five named forms, so those are now shoehorned in. Some folks confuse the immature male colour form, sporting a turquoise thorax, as being one of the female forms, so I’ve included that, too. Since a picture speaks a thousand words, here is a diagram trying to clarify the colours and development process. Here is my attempt at making sense of the resultant naming mess: Traditional Dijkstra who, in his otherwise excellent reference work, saw fit to assign them different names (and rather boring names that are difficult to remember, IMHO). These traditional names were apparently not good enough for Klaas-Douwe B.(This makes much more sense because it is the mature form of rufescens.) The “traditional” names assigned to the five female colour forms have been modified such that one form, originally known as infuscans-obsoleta, is now referred to as rufescens -obsoleta.As if the confusion of having various colour forms weren’t enough, we now have naming confusion thrown into the mix. Of the five female colour forms, two are immature and three are mature. It’s a particularly delicate damsel but it’s the glittering array of five female colour forms that adds to the fascination and, I might say, complication. Though ubiquitous, this is one of my personal favourites. ![]()
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