SOUTHERN DAMSELFLY |
COEAGRION MERCURIALE |
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| Fig 1 |
ADULT: Wingspan - 20mm.The smallest of the blue damselflies with the main ID feature being the 'mercury' mark on abdominal segment 2. This mark can be variable with the horn-shapes sometimes detached and it can also take some time to observe when in the field. On females the shape on segment 2 is thistle-like. Males are a combination of blue and black whereas females are dull green. The pterostigma of both sexes is shorter than found in other Coenagrion species. LARVA:Small and found in submerged vegetation. BEHAVIOUR: Never moving far away from chosen area and so struggling to spread to other areas. The flight is low and appearing weak. HABITAT: Small streams and flushes usually near to heathland and with a rich base content. Water temperature needs to be fairly constant. FLIGHT PERIOD: May to August. STATUS: Localised in southern Britain. |