| Libellula
depressa |
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|
Common Name:
|
Broad-bodied Chaser |
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Odonata |
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Order:
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Odonata |
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Suborder:
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Anisoptera |
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Family:
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Libellulidae |
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Genus:
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Libellula |
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Species:
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L. depressa |
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| The
Name |
| Libellula depressa (Linnaeus, 1758),
the Broad-bodied Chaser, is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe
and central Asia. It is very distinctive with a very broad flattened abdomen,
four wing patches and, in the male, the abdomen becomes pruinose blue.
L. depressa is very distinctive and
should not be confused with any other dragonflies in the region.
Mature males may sometimes be confused
with males of the Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) which also
has blue abdomen, however the latter has a much narrower abdomen and there
is no dark patch at the wing-base. Immature males and females (yellowish-brown
abdomen) are similar to the Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
but the latter has a much narrower abdomen and a dark patch in the middle
of the leading edge of each wing.
This species is usually placed in
the genus Libellula but there is some evidence, based on RNA and DNA analysis,
that this species should be placed within the genus Ladona (Artiss et al,
2001). This change is not yet generally accepted and books and field guides
list this species as Libellula
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| The
Characteristics |
| Length: 39-48mm, Hindwing Length:
32-38mm
The male and female have a broad,
flattened abdomen which is brown with yellow patches down the sides. The
males quickly develop a blue pruinescence on the abdomen with yellow spots
along the segment sides. Females are a golden brown on the abdomen, again
with yellow spots at the margins. Both the male and female have broad antehumeral
stripes.
|
| The
Reproduction and Development |
| L. depressa is seen near still-water
lakes and ponds, feeding on many types of small insects. They occur in
both bare and sunny locations, where it is often the first dragonfly to
colonise new habitats such as newly created ponds, and well vegetated ponds.
L. depressa are often seen away from water as the adults are very mobile
and undergo a period of maturation away from water after emergence. The
adults are also migratory.
The flight period is from April to
September but are mostly seen in May and June. Their flight is very fast
as they dart and dive above the water. They are very territorial and will
fight with rival males and any other dragonflies they happen to encounter.
They characteristically return to a favoured perch, in the sun. When a
female enters a male's territory the male will fly up and grab the female.
Mating occurs on the wing and the pair are in tandem for only a brief period,
often less than a minute. The pair separate and the female will find a
suitable location for ovipositing, usually a stretch of open water with
submerged vegetation. The female oviposits in flight, hovering above the
water and dipping the tip of her abdomen in. The eggs hatch in 4 or 5 weeks
and the larvae take one to two years to develop. The larvae live amongst
the aquatic vegetation at the bottom of the pond but not buried in mud
like some other species of dragonfly. After emergence the adults move away
from water and undergo a period of maturation which lasts 10 to 14 days.
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| The
Distribution |
L. depressa is found in central
and southern Europe, central Asia and the Middle East. It range extends
northwards to southern Scotland, southern Sweden and southern Finland and
it occurs on some Mediterranean islands including Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily
and Menorca. Its range does not extend beyond southern Europe into Africa.
|
| The
Protection Status |
| Common and abundant throughout its
range. |
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References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad-bodied_Chaser
http://www.habitas.org.uk/dragonflyireland/5637.htm
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| The
Species on Stamps |
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With courteous to Mr. Richard
Lewington for the Dragonfly Illustration
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