Enallagma cyathigerum
Range
They are found in both Europe and North America. They can be found in the Northern Hemisphere almost all around the globe.Habitat
They live near wet areas, along streams and ponds.Body Traits
They are blue with black dashes down their back. They are smaller than dragonflies.Habits
They rest briefly on water plants with their wings folded back. This is unlike dragonflies that rest with their wings held out flat.Diet
They eat insects.Reproduction
Females lay their eggs in plants stems near the water line. She can stay underwater to lay her eggs for a while, the male guarding the spot. Most of a damselfly’s life is as the young under-water phase (larvae). It can stay in that phase for up to 3 years.Then it climbs up a plant stem out of the water, its outer shell splitting open so the adult damselfly can come out, pump up its wings and fly away. They usually only live as adults for less than 2 weeks, only long enough to mate and lay eggs.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Odonata
- Suborder: Zygoptera
- Family: Coenagrionidae
- Genus: Enallagma
- Species: E. cyathigerum