Golden-ringed dragonfly | |
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Male in Fermyn Woods, Northamptonshire, UK | |
Female in Arne, Dorset, UK | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
Family: | Cordulegastridae |
Genus: | Cordulegaster |
Species: | C. boltonii
|
Binomial name | |
Cordulegaster boltonii (
Donovan, 1807)
| |
Synonyms | |
|
The golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking species of dragonfly found widely in Europe and locally in northwestern Africa, especially near flowing waters like streams. [1] It is the longest British species of dragonfly, [2] and the only member of its genus to be found in the United Kingdom. [3]
In the United Kingdom, they are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which is not found in any other dragonfly in the country. [4] A very large species, males average 74 mm (2.9 in) and the longer females average 84 mm (3.3 in). Wingspan is up to 101 mm (4.0 in). [5] The female is the longest British dragonfly, in part due to the unusually long ovipositor, [2] and in other measurements it is exceeded by the emperor (Anax imperator). [6]
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. [7] They emerge after about 2–5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.
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. [8]
Golden-ringed dragonfly | |
---|---|
Male in Fermyn Woods, Northamptonshire, UK | |
Female in Arne, Dorset, UK | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
Family: | Cordulegastridae |
Genus: | Cordulegaster |
Species: | C. boltonii
|
Binomial name | |
Cordulegaster boltonii (
Donovan, 1807)
| |
Synonyms | |
|
The golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking species of dragonfly found widely in Europe and locally in northwestern Africa, especially near flowing waters like streams. [1] It is the longest British species of dragonfly, [2] and the only member of its genus to be found in the United Kingdom. [3]
In the United Kingdom, they are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which is not found in any other dragonfly in the country. [4] A very large species, males average 74 mm (2.9 in) and the longer females average 84 mm (3.3 in). Wingspan is up to 101 mm (4.0 in). [5] The female is the longest British dragonfly, in part due to the unusually long ovipositor, [2] and in other measurements it is exceeded by the emperor (Anax imperator). [6]
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. [7] They emerge after about 2–5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.
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. [8]