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Showing posts with label WHITE FEATHERLEG DAMSELFLY (Platycnemis latipes). Show all posts
Showing posts with label WHITE FEATHERLEG DAMSELFLY (Platycnemis latipes). Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 July 2025

2-7-2025 POTRIES, VALENCIA - WHITE FEATHERLEG DAMSELFLY (Platycnemis latipes)


As well as the diagnostic broad, 'feathery' white legs, it generally has a paler blue body to help distinguish it from the other blue damselflies. The pale chestnut wing spots are also characteristic. Immature males and females are mostly creamy white (form lactea). Females take on a very pale green colour on maturity.

This damselfly favours slow moving rivers and canals with luxuriant vegetation.

It can be seen from mid May to mid August.

The males engage in a courtship display to woo the female, raising its front white legs in front of the female as part of the act.

In Britain it is found in mainly lowland areas, up to the Midlands. It is uncommon but can become locally frequent.

The White-legged Damselfly is a species that reaches the current northern limits of its UK distribution in VC 55. It favours unshaded sections of streams, rivers and canals with a moderate to slow flow but is present at only a handful of localities in the counties; this suggests that other, as yet unknown, factors may influence its distribution. The White-legged Damselfly is found along the full length on the Ashby Canal and on the Grand Union Canal south of Leicester City. It also occurs along the Rivers Wreake and Eye and the Gaddesby and Queniborough Brooks in north-east Leicestershire. Its distribution follows the Rivers Avon and Welland along the southern boundary of both Leicestershire and Rutland and also their tributaries in the form of the Eye Brook and River Chater. Of note is an apparently dramatic range extension north along the Ashby Canal in 2006. Prior to this date there had only been three records on this watercourse, while in 2006 it was found in virtually every 1 km Ordnance Survey grid square along the canal. Historic records show that the White-legged Damselfly has always been uncommon in VC 55, with Corbet et al (1960) classing it as 'extinct or status very uncertain'.

Saturday, 5 August 2023

5-8-2023 POTRIES, VALENCIA - WHITE FEATHERLEG DAMSELFLY (Platycnemis latipes)

The white-legged damselfly or blue featherleg is a damselfly of slow-flowing, muddy waters. It occurs from the Atlantic to Siberia and is often abundant throughout its range.


 

Thursday, 24 May 2018

24-5-2018 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - WHITE FEATHERLEG DAMSELFLY (Platycnemis latipes)


The white-legged damselfly or blue featherleg (Platycnemis pennipes) is a damselfly of slow-flowing, muddy waters. It occurs from the Atlantic to Siberia and is often abundant throughout its range.

The male has a blue abdomen that is often pale and usually has a greenish thorax. The female is a very pale yellow-green colour with black markings.

This species favours unshaded slow-flowing sections of muddy rivers with abundant floating vegetation. it has been recorded in tidal rivers and the larvae seem well able to tolerate brackish water. It also occurs in muddy streams but is rare in lakes or ponds of any sort. In north-west Europe, it is mostly confined to flowing waters.

Mating is preceded by the male displaying his white legs in a fluttering display flight in front of females. Elongated eggs are laid whilst in tandem, into emergent stems and especially the underside of floating leaves. The larvae live amongst bottom debris and emerge after two years.

After emerging, adults tend to congregate in the shelter of tall vegetation, although some immatures wander away from water and have been found five kilometres away from the nearest breeding site.