Small Emerald Damselfly (Lestes virens) | Species | ||||||
Male. Taken at Le Mouton étang, the Brenne, France on June 24th 2010.
(1/100th sec at F13. Approx 2x life size.) 
Teneral male. Taken at Le Mouton étang, the Brenne, France on June 24th 2010.
(1/40th sec at F13. Approx 2.5x life size.) © David HastingsDescriptionWingspan: 38 - 46 mm; Body length: 30 - 39 mmThis is the smallest European spreadwing, and is normally easily separated by its size and colour. Both sexes have a yellow underside to the back of the head. Pruinosity in the male is confined to S9 and 10, and is absent from S1 and S2. The pterostigma are usually pale brown with whitish sides. There is signficant variablity in southern populations. This species is fairly widespread in Europe and north Africa, but is absent from Britain. It prefers seasonally dry shallow and reedy waters in the south, but switches to heath and bog lakes with sphagnum moss and rushes in the north. Northern populations emerge in July and fly into November. Sightings
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