Golden-ringed dragonfly

Golden-ringed dragonfly
Cordulegaster boltonii, male
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Anisoptera
Family: Cordulegastridae
Genus: Cordulegaster
Species: C. boltonii
Binomial name
Cordulegaster boltonii
(Donovan, 1807)

The golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking dragonfly and the longest British species,[1] the only one of its genus to be found in the United Kingdom.[2]

Identification

They are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which no other dragonfly in the United Kingdom has.[3] A very large species, males average 74 mm and the larger females 84 mm. Wingspan is up to 101 mm.[4]

Larvae

The female lays the eggs in shallow water. The hairy larvae live at the bottom of the water and are well camouflaged amongst the silt.[5] They emerge after about 2–5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.

Behaviour

They are often seen flying leisurely over mountain streams or a river; they also occasionally show up at a pond. They are also typically seen flying over heath land. Their bright yellow and black stripes make them easy to identify, even from a fair distance away. They feed mainly on insects ranging from small prey such as midges to flies, butterflies and even bumblebees. This strikingly-coloured insect is incredibly aerobatic and they sometimes fly very high up into the sky.[6]

See also

First description of the species by Moses Harris, 1766, who however wrongly identified it as Libellula forcipata.

External links

References

  1. "Cordulegaster boltonii". British Dragonfly Society. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  2. "Golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii)". ARKive. Retrieved February 7, 2008.
  3. "UK Safari". Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  4. http://www.arkive.org/golden-ringed-dragonfly/cordulegaster-boltonii/
  5. "Wild Scotland". Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  6. "Dragonflies at Plas Farm". Retrieved 2008-02-07.


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