Page 38 - World of Animals - Issue #31

Lord of the fl ies

d
d
e
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i
i
w
w
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Coloured wings
olo
Coloured wings l l l e e e s s s ,
C C
u
r
olo
u
n
g
g
s
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ID guide brown-green on
r
r
r
k b
l
k b
k b
l
d
d
(dark blue on males,
( ( (
(dark blue on males,
d
,
,
a
a
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l
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e on m
u
a
e on m
e on m
u
a
u
r
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n on
brown-green on
b
r
o
w
n
g
-
females)
As dragonflies and damselflies emerge in the spring,

you may find yourself wondering which insects you’re

looking at. To help you identify some of the UK’s most Beautiful demoiselle
This damselfly’s iridescent, jewel-like colouration is

recognisable Odonata species, here’s a handy field guide more striking among the blue-green males; females

are green with bronze tips. Their flight is butterfly-like.
Mainly found in Wales and southern England.
Wasp-like yellow and
black stripes
in
r
k
l
Dark line
Dark line e
Da
e
g
e
e
e
t
t
t
t
t
g
n
g
g
g
n
e
n
n
n
o
o
o
h
h
h
o
down length
d d d d d
down length
o
h
h
n l
n l
n l
n l
n l
w
w
w
w
w
e
e
e
f
f
a
of abdomen n n n
of abdomen
o o o
f
a
dom
dom
dom
b
a
b
b
Black
Black
horizontal
horizontal

Emperor dragonfly stripes
stripes
Emperors have bright and bulky bodies, making
them relatively easy to spot. They rarely stop
moving, even eating on the go. Widespread in
southern England and Wales.
e
k s
k s
c
a
a
c
p
t
o
s on t
t
o
h
p
s on t
h
l
B B
Black spots on the L ar g e r e d d ams e l fl y
Black spots on the
Large red damselfly
l
e
g
r
a
l
den
o
Golden-ringed dragonfly edges of clear wings s A darker shade of red than the small red
G
r w
d
nge
i
r
-
e
d
a
s o
y
n
d
f c

e
g

o
e
n
g
i
l
fl
edges of clear wings

e o
w a
o
s t
A
l
h
n
l
As the only yellow and black dragonfly in the UK, , damselfly, with black stripes on its abdomen.
l
y y
e
n

fl
o
n
e U
K
h
y i
n t
c
k d
a
d b
l
r
g
a
Common throughout the UK and one of the first
the golden-ringed dragonfly should be easy to Common throughout the UK and one of the fi rst

distinguish. Particularly common in Scotland, species to appear in spring.
Wales and southern England.
Green spots
along length
of body
Thorax
covered in
small hairs
small hairs
r
F o Common throughout the UK. e r
Four-spotted chaser
u
-
h
c
s
a
ed
po
s
t
t

This species is named a‡er its wings, which are
© Getty; Alamy; FLPA; Nature PL; Thinkstock; Frank Vassen © Getty; Alamy; FLPA; Nature PL; Thinkstock; Frank Vassen shaped spots, which are blue on males and This dragonfly reaches high speeds and catches
clear with black spots along the edges. Males
and females are both brown with a dark tail.

Hairy dragonfly
Southern hawker
Distinguished by its hairy thorax and oval-

insects in mid-air. It is common throughout
yellow on females. Scattered throughout
central and southern England and Wales and

o‡en breeds near garden ponds.
England and Wales, but rare in Scotland.
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