Lestes nodalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lestes nodalis |
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The Lestes nodalis is a type of damselfly. It belongs to a group of damselflies called "spreadwings" because they often rest with their wings spread out. This damselfly is also known as the Wandering Spreadwing.
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Where Does the Wandering Spreadwing Live?
This damselfly naturally lives in certain parts of Asia. You can find it in countries like India, Thailand, and China.
For a long time, people thought it only lived in Northeast India, especially in a state called Assam. But over the years, scientists have found it in more places.
Later, it was seen in Odisha, Bihar, and Manipur. Then, in 2014, it was recorded in Maharashtra. In 2011, both male and female damselflies were found in Kerala. This showed that the Wandering Spreadwing also lives in South India.
What Does the Wandering Spreadwing Look Like?
This damselfly is a medium-sized insect. It has brown eyes. Its body is mostly brown. The top part of its chest (thorax) is brown, and the sides are a lighter color.
Its wings are clear, like glass. A special spot on its wings, called the pterostigma, has two colors. It's blackish-brown in the middle and yellow along the edges.
The damselfly's long body (abdomen) is brown. It has black rings at the end of each segment up to segment six. Segments seven and eight are dark brown. The last two segments, nine and ten, and its tail parts are pale. They can look bluish when the damselfly gets older.
When the damselfly ages, its pale colors on the chest and body can also turn bluish. This happens because of a powdery coating called pruinescence.
Female damselflies look very similar to the males. Their duller colors can make them hard to spot in nature. You can tell this damselfly apart from others by its two-colored pterostigma and its wide, right-angled tail parts.
Where Does the Wandering Spreadwing Live?
The Wandering Spreadwing likes to live and lay its eggs in wet places. It often breeds in shallow marshes. It might also live in ponds that have a lot of plants growing in them.
See also
- List of odonates of India
- List of odonata of Kerala
