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Home / Nature - Animals / Invertebrates / Invertebrates - Spring / Invertebrates - May / Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
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Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)

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The Common Blue Damselfly can be distinguished from similar species because it has more blue than black on its back and thorax. The second segment of the thorax has a distinctive spot with a line below connecting to the third segment and on side of the thorax there is only one black line. The femail Common Blue has several colour forms. The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm and is common across Europe. It can be seen near a wide range of water habitats including ponds and rivers and reservoirs. During mating, the male clasps the female by her neck while she bends her body around to his reproductive organs – (called a mating wheel). The pair flies together over the water and eggs are laid within a suitable plant, just below the surface. The eggs hatch and the nymphs, feed on small aquatic animals. The Nymphs climb out of the water up a suitable stem to moult into damselflies. Picture taken at Bromham Nature Reserve on 27th May 2012.

Added:
2nd Jun 2012 by Diane Earl

Subjects:
Biology, Environmental Science

Key Stages:
Foundation, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 4+

Geocode: Bromham Nature Reserve
Date of artefact: 27/5/12
EXIF data:

National Education Network
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