| Lestes barbarus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Lestidae |
| Genus: | Lestes |
| Species: | L. barbarus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lestes barbarus (Fabricius, 1798) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Lestes barbarus is a species of damselfly of the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. Its common names in English include southern emerald damselfly, shy emerald damselfly, and migrant spreadwing. [1]
Lestes barbarus is a European–central Asian species with isolated populations in North Africa and a range expanding northward. [1] It is found across southern Europe in a band across Spain, France, Italy and Greece to India and Mongolia. It is less common in northern Europe, although some are found as far north as Sweden. [2] It breeds in the Netherlands in coastal dunes and is increasing in number. It is at the edge of its range in the Channel Islands, where it has been breeding since 1995. It is also found in North Africa; it gets its Latin name as the first specimen was found in Barbary, North Africa. It is a damselfly of still water and can be found in stagnant and slightly brackish water.
This species was first recorded in Britain at Winterton Dunes, Norfolk, on 30 July 2002. [3] In 2003 and 2004 it was noted at Sandwich Bay, Kent. [4] In 2018 it was proven to have bred in Britain for the first time. [5]
This species has the typical appearance of a Lestes damselfly with a metallic green body and wings held away from the body at rest. It differs from the other European Lestes in having bicoloured pterostigmata, which is diagnostic. The male abdominal appendage and female ovipositor are also characteristic and unlike those of L. sponsa or L. dryas .
Immatures have pale pterostigmata and only develop the characteristic two-coloured pterostigmata when mature.
The flight period is from March to October in the south of its range but in north it flies mainly from June to August. Its behaviour is similar to that of L. sponsa, but it is more likely to be found away from water. After mating the pair usually remain in tandem while the female lays eggs on waterside plants. The eggs overwinter in diapause and the larvae hatch in spring. The larvae develop within two months, the adults emerging in late spring.
Winterton Dunes is an extensive dune system on the east coast of Norfolk, England, which has been designated as a National Nature Reserve of 109 ha. Winterton Dunes is within the Norfolk Coast AONB.
Sandwich Bay is a long sweeping inlet of the sea between Ramsgate and Deal, on the east coast of Kent, England. The coastal area consists of sand flats with their associated salt marshes and coastal sand dunes. The Sandwich Flats stretch for about five miles (8 km) along the coast. The coastal habitats are of high ecological importance.
The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies.
Lestes plagiatus is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known commonly as the highlands spreadwing, common spreadwing, and stream spreadwing.
Lestes virens is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known commonly as the small spreadwing or small emerald spreadwing. It is native to much of Europe and western and central Asia.
Lestes macrostigma is a species of damselfly of the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name dark spreadwing. It is native to much of southern Europe, its distribution extending into western Asia.
Chalcolestes parvidens, formerly Lestes parvidens, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name in English is the eastern willow spreadwing.
Sympecma fusca, the common winter damselfly, is a damselfly a member of the Lestidae and related to the emeralds or spreadwings.
The sweetflag spreadwing is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to North America, especially eastern parts of Canada and the United States.
Lestes sponsa is a damselfly with a wide Palaearctic distribution. It is known commonly as the emerald damselfly or common spreadwing. Both males and females have a metallic green colour and brown wing spots. It resides near pools with aquatic plants. When resting its wings are usually half opened.
Lestes dryas is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. Its common names include emerald spreadwing, scarce emerald damselfly and robust spreadwing. An alternate name in Ireland is the turlough spreadwing.
Chalcolestes viridis, formerly Lestes viridis, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name is the willow emerald damselfly, the green emerald damselfly, or the western willow spreadwing. It has an elongated abdomen and pale brown spots on its wings and resides in areas of still water with overhanging trees.
Lestes congener is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name spotted spreadwing.
Lestes viridulusemerald-striped spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to Bangladesh, India, and Thailand.
Lestes concinnus is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. They are so named because they rest with their wings spread. This species is known commonly as the dusky spreadwing. It is a nomadic damselfly found in India, Southeast Asia as far as New Caledonia, and northern parts of Australia.
