Belongs to: damselflies
Compare with: scarce emerald damselfly
emerald damselfly
Wilow emerald damselfly Lestes viridis
Best time to see: Aug to Oct
Key facts
A metallic green damselfly that has colonised Britain from the continent recently
First seen breeding in East Anglia in 2009, it has spread rapidly west and north since then
Habitat: ponds and slow-moving streams with overhanging trees, on which eggs are laid
Recognition
Metallic green like the emerald damselfly but longer (up to 48mm) and without the blue eyes and blue pruinescence
Spend much of their time basking on waterside trees, particularly willows and alders
Lifecycle
Females lay eggs into the bark of trees;these overwinter and hatch in spring, falling into the water below
Larvae start to emerge in July; adults are long-lived, sometimes lasting into November
© Tony Gunton