Golden-ringed dragonfly

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Golden-ringed dragonfly
File:Cordulegaster.boltonii.adult.jpg
Cordulegaster boltonii, male
Scientific classification
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C. boltonii
Binomial name
Cordulegaster boltonii
(Donovan, 1807)

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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

File:Moses Harris - Cordulegaster annulatus.jpg
First description of the species by Moses Harris, 1766, who however wrongly identified it as Libellula forcipata.

External links

  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
  • Data related to Cordulegaster boltonii at Wikispecies

References

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  4. http://www.arkive.org/golden-ringed-dragonfly/cordulegaster-boltonii/
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