Movement: Find out all about it in this article. Damselflies are generally smaller, more delicate, and fly weakly in comparison with dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera). Make sure to give www.learnaboutnature.com credit for the article. Coenagrionid nymphs slowly stalk their prey among the vegetation. During this period, the male guards the female and the eggs from other rival male Damselflies.

The first antennal segment (closest to the head) is longer than the length of all subsequent segments. The egg hatches into the larva (also known as a nymph), which moults up to 18 times before emerging as an adult. By waving the gills, nymphs create the circulation of water around the body and increase the amount of acquired oxygen. Females will only return to the water bodies when they are ready to mate, to avoid being harassed by males. Adverse weather conditions can result in failed emergence and the dragonfly dying - a newly emerged dragonfly is very vulnerable to predation until it becomes fully active.
If the female is willing then she will stay on the perch, and if not receptive, then she will fly away. On maturing, males will return to water bodies where most species are territorial and defend areas of suitable breeding habitat. Female damselflies lay eggs in plant tissue. Black-fronted Fork tail - Ischnura Denticollis Rather confusingly, in the English language dragonflies and damselflies are collectively termed ‘Dragonflies’. Recent changes in land management have put particular pressure on the existing populations in Pembrokeshire.
Precisely roots of terrestrial vegetation, extending in tangles into the water, provide the best foothold and cover. Perching dragonflies, on the other hand, who rely on solar energy for warmth, skillfully position their bodies to maximize the surface area exposed to sunlight.

The mating process of Damselflies is a complex procedure as in the Dragonflies. Gill in the middle is slightly shorter than the side gills. This organ is also used by the Damselfly nymph for locomotion purpose, just like the fish’s tail. It is protected in law under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and is listed as Endangered on the Odonata Red Data List. It is also beneficial for the streams to have trampled margins and tussocks created by heavy grazing animals, like cattle or horses. Damselflies are flying insects from the Odonata order and Zygoptera suborder. The larval stage of Damselflies or the nymph are also a voracious and brutal predator that feed by capturing their prey with the help of a flat toothed mouthpart known as labium in the lower part of the jaw. In the UK most of the life cycle is spent as larvae underwater; adult dragonflies can live for up to 8 weeks, but on average in Britain they live only 1 – 2 weeks. Latin Name: Ceriagrion tenellum: Habitat: Found in shallow pools, seepages and streams in heathland bog in southern England and west Wales. Later, the exoskeleton of this creature hardens, and it becomes brighter colored within a few weeks. Damseflies are generally smaller than dragonflies and are weaker fliers. ¦        Tell me more, Who to contact if you spot an injured or baby bird, Help nature thrive as a corporate partner, Climate change effects on nature and wildlife. Male dragonflies use their tail (anal) appendages to grasp females; in dragonflies (Anisoptera), the males grasp round the female’s eyes, but in damselflies, males grasp round the female’s neck. Most New Dragonfly Adults Are Eaten.

Some species inhabit marshlands while others prefer clean water or the still waters of ponds. It is a regular visitor to gardens and is on the wing from April to September. Moreover, some of the less active species are covered with algae and a layer of sediments. They also have two small antennae over the head to measure the air speed. Size: In the whole class, this is the single species that also breed in sea water. There are many constraints to achieving the correct grazing regimes for Southern Damselflies on common land. Calopterygid nymphs, with very slender and elongated bodies, mostly occur in shades of brown. Most species produce one generation per year. Dragonflies that patrol (those that habitually fly back and forth) employ a rapid whirring movement of their wings to raise their body temperatures. Calopterygid nymphs wait until the prey comes into their reach.