Damselflies are insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller, have slimmer bodies, and most species fold the wings along the body when at rest. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, with four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and imago. The processes of entering and completing the pupal stage are controlled by the insect's hormones, especially juvenile hormone, prothoracicotropic hormone, and ecdysone.
The redbreast sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species of its genus, it is native to the river systems of eastern Canada and the United States. The redbreast sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 30 cm (12 in), with a maximum recorded weight of 790 g (1.7 lb).
Salmo trutta fario, sometimes called the river trout, and also known by the name of its parent species, the brown trout, is a predatory fish of the Salmonidae family and a subspecies or morph of the brown trout species, Salmo trutta, which also includes sea trout and a lacustrine trout. Depending on the supply of food, river trout measure 20 to 80 cm (0.7–2.6 ft) in length; exceptionally they may be up to 1 m (3.3 ft) long and weigh up to over 13 kg (29 lb). Their back is olive-dark brown and silvery blue, red spots with light edges occur towards the belly, the belly itself is whitish yellow. River trout usually attains a weight of up to 2 kg (4.4 lb). They can live for up to 18 years.
Libellula depressa, the broad-bodied chaser or broad-bodied darter, 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.
The four-spotted chaser, known in North America as the four-spotted skimmer, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae found widely throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.
The banded demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers. It is a Eurasian species occurring from the Atlantic coast eastwards to Lake Baikal and northwestern China.
The beautiful demoiselle is a European damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along fast-flowing waters where it is most at home.
The scarce chaser is a species of dragonfly. The adult male has a bright blue abdomen with patches of black, while the adult female and juvenile male each have a bright orange abdomen. It is about 45 mm in length with an average wingspan of 74 mm. It is distributed throughout Europe. This dragonfly is considered a species of special concern in Great Britain due to loss of its specific ideal habitat.
Austrogomphus is a genus of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae, endemic to Australia. Species of Austrogomphus are tiny to medium-sized dragonflies, black in colour with yellowish markings. They are commonly known as hunters.
The white-faced darter or small whiteface is a small dragonfly belonging to the genus Leucorrhinia in the family Libellulidae. Its flight period lasts from May to August. It is found in peat bogs from northern Europe eastwards to Siberia. In southern Europe there are populations in some mountainous areas such as the Alps and Pyrenees. In Great Britain it is rare and local with the largest population in the Scottish Highlands.
Lithosia quadra, the four-spotted footman, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in southern and central Europe then east across the Palearctic to the Amur River and Japan. It is also found in the south of Great Britain and Scandinavia.
Gomphus vulgatissimus, the common clubtail, is a medium-sized species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in most of Europe, and is present now in the south of France. Its natural habitats are clean, slow moving streaming rivers and creeks with sandy soil. It can be seen from mid-April in the south to August. Once they hatched out of water, they live shortly. As the common name suggests, this medium-sized species has a distinctive club-shaped abdomen.The males are black with extensive yellow markings on the thorax and abdomen which turn green as the insect ages.The females are black with extensive yellow markings. In the British Isles the adult flight period extends from mid May to early July.
Gomphus pulchellus, the western clubtail, is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in Western Europe, although absent in the British isles. Its natural habitat are clean ponds and canals, clay and mud holes.
Gomphurus externus, the plains clubtail, is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae.
Phanogomphus graslinellus is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. This species is commonly known as the pronghorn clubtail.
Onychogomphus forcipatus, the small pincertail or green-eyed hook-tailed dragonfly, is a species of dragonflies belonging to the family Gomphidae.
Dolania americana is a species of mayfly in the family Behningiidae. It is the only species in the genus Dolania. It is found in the southeastern United States, as far south as Florida, and is generally uncommon. The adult insects emerge before dawn in early summer, mate and die within the space of about thirty minutes. The female deposits her eggs in the water and dies within five minutes of emergence, believed to be the shortest adult lifespan of any insect.
