weird scarce emerald damsel

[Ukwildlifeo]

Here's opne for the dragonfly experts. Ive seena fair few scarce emerald damselflies but goting through my pics from back in June (talk about behind on editing...) I came across this feller. He has the claspers of a male but the colouration of female - is this a female coloued male?



I can't find a photo of a teneral male but all the ones I've seen have at least a hint of blue on the ends of the abdomen.

There were southern emeralds about again this year there (no one told me though ) but I don't think its one of them.

[RoyW]

It is an immature male Scarce Emerald Damselfly (or Robust Spreadwing).

It's not really teneral, which only describes the period immediately after emergence, while the damselfly/dragonfly has yet to harden properly. After emerging it would probably be a day or two at least before any blue develops, and something like 7-10 days before it is fully mature.

Perfectly normal (not weird at all), you just haven't noticed one this young before.

[MattPrince]

What Roy said...

and.. if you are looking for the new emeralds, both Southern and Willow have distinctive jizz and can be confirmed readily enough on pterostigma.

Willow is a big long thing with pale pterostigma outlined in black.
Southern is an insipid green with clearly bicoloured 'stigma.

Worth checking for

Matt

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by MattPrince

and.. if you are looking for the new emeralds, both Southern and Willow have distinctive jizz and can be confirmed readily enough on pterostigma.

The jizz is certainly distinctive enough once you know them, but, as with anything else, you need to be careful if you don't know them!
Some degree of care needs to be taken when using the pterostigma colour as well - teneral/maturing Common and Scarce Emerald Damselflies can show pterostigma colours that resemble those expected on Willow Emerald, and Scarce Emeralds (in particular) often have pale bars at the side of the pterostigma. One of these pale sides can be wider and more noticeable than the other so may give the impression of pale & dark halves like Southern Emerald.

It's not really like either of the colonising species once you know them - just something to be aware of when you start looking!


A couple of examples that have been posted on WAB:

[Ukwildlifeo]

Cheers guys. I think I've got the willow and southerns down, the males claspers seem to be a good target for checking your ID too, looking in the books.

As for it not being strange though Roy I had a reply ready just in case: Look at the abdomen, it s bit bent up

Also I must stop using the term teneral when I mean immature

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

As for it not being strange though Roy I had a reply ready just in case: Look at the abdomen, it s bit bent up

The small amount of damage to S6? I noticed that, but it's such a minor malformation that it scarcely warranted a mention!