Blue bush dart facts for kids
Copera vittata is a type of damselfly that belongs to the family Platycnemididae. It lives in many parts of Asia, from India all the way to Indonesia. People often call it the blue bush dart. There are different kinds of this damselfly, and scientists think it might actually be a group of very similar species.
Quick facts for kids Blue bush dart |
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Copera
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| Species: |
vittata
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What it Looks Like and Where it Lives
This damselfly is a medium size. Its eyes are yellow with brown caps. They have a thin black band around the middle.
The top part of its body, called the thorax, is black. It has a thin bluish-yellow stripe on its shoulder area. This stripe looks like it's split in two. Below this stripe, there's a wide black area with small pale yellow spots. The sides of its body are yellow. They have irregular black stripes.
The top half of its abdomen (belly) is black up to segment 8. The bottom half is lighter. It has bluish-white rings at the base of its segments. Segment 9 is black at the bottom and bluish-white at the top. Segment 10 is completely bluish-white.
Its tail parts, called anal appendages, are pale blue or creamy white. The upper ones are as long as segment 10. They are cone-shaped and get thinner at the ends. The lower ones are almost twice as long as the upper ones. They are pale inside and brownish-black outside.
In a similar damselfly, Copera marginipes, the upper tail parts are only half the length of segment 10. Their lower tail parts are at least four times longer than the upper ones.
Female Copera vittata damselflies are usually stronger built than males. Their colors are not as bright, and their markings are less clear. Young damselflies, called tenerals, can be mostly white with only a few black marks.
You can often find these damselflies among plants. They like to live along the edges of rivers and streams. They are also common in hilly areas.
See also
- List of odonates of India
- List of odonata of Kerala
Images for kids
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Male anal appendages (Copera vittata)
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Male anal appendages (Copera marginipes)
