| Lestes virens | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Lestidae |
| Genus: | Lestes |
| Species: | L. virens |
| Binomial name | |
| Lestes virens (Charpentier, 1825) | |
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. [1]
There are two subspecies. The subspecies L. v. virens is found in the south of the range in Spain, southern France, Sardinia and North Africa. L. v. vestalis is found in the north in northern France, Italy, and across central Europe. It is not found in northern Europe or in the United Kingdom. It is a damselfly of still waters and is found in lakes, ponds, ditches and bogs with abundant vegetation.
Lestes virens looks very similar to the other members of the genus Lestes . It has a metallic green body and at rest holds its wings away from its body. L. virens is smaller than L. sponsa . It has a pale brown pterostigma edged laterally with white and its anal appendages are pale to yellowish. L. sponsa and L. dryas both have black anal appendages.
In L. v. virens the yellow line which runs along the humeral suture is unbroken and almost reaches the base of the forewing, whereas in L. v. vestalis the yellow line is reduced and broken and does not reach the forewing. L. v. virens is found in the south of its range and L. v. vestalis is found in the north. The separation of L. virens into two subspecies has been called into question. [2]
The flight period is generally from June to September, but it may start as early as April in the south of its range. L. virens lives in the dense vegetation on the edge of ponds where it feeds, mates, and lays eggs. It is a univoltine species. After mating the female lays its eggs above water on plant stems, the eggs go through a period of rapid development and then enter diapause. They overwinter as developed eggs and then the larvae emerge in spring. The larvae develop very quickly.
The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies.
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.
Lestes rectangularis is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name slender spreadwing. It is native to eastern North America, including eastern Canada and the United States.
Lestes praemorsus is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. It is commonly known as the scalloped spreadwing or sapphire-eyed spreadwing. It is very widely distributed from India to China and south to New Guinea.
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 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.
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.
Austrolestes colensonis, commonly known as the blue damselfly, is a species of damselfly of the family Lestidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can commonly be found throughout the country, and at any time of the year. It is New Zealand's largest damselfly, and only blue odonate.
Lestes congener is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name spotted spreadwing.
Lestes viridulus, the emerald-striped spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to Bangladesh, India, and Thailand.
Indolestes gracilis is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae. It is known only from Sri Lanka, South India and Cambodia.
Lestes elatus is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known commonly as the emerald spreadwing. It is native to India, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
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.
Lestes nodalis is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings.
Lestes dorothea, the forest spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. It is distributed from south and northeast India to Thailand and Malaysia.
Platylestes platystylus, the green-eyed spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. Although this species appears to be widespread, there are very few recent records. This species is known from old records from West Bengal in India, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. There are recent records from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Kerala, South India.
