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Small Emerald Damselfy - top view, Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Netherlands <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101982/small_emerald_damselfy_loonse_en_drunense_duinen_netherlands.html" title="Small Emerald Damselfy, Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/101982_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=ZglreEumxJDY0SH%2F8LYO6Qu%2F5qY%3D" width="200" height="184" alt="Small Emerald Damselfy, Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Netherlands https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101981/small_emerald_damselfy_-_top_view_loonse_en_drunense_duinen_netherlands.html<br /> A young female. Other than its unusually small size, another identification key is the yellow at the back of the head. <br /> <br /> Here&#039;s a young female from a different location, yet even younger, freshly emerged:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101096/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_full_body_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> Note the color difference. In dutch we call the series of emerald damselfy species &quot;armored damselfies&quot;, after their metallic look. Europe,Lestes virens,Loonse en Drunense Duinen,Netherlands,Small Emerald Damselfly,World" /></a></figure><br /> A young female. Other than its unusually small size, another identification key is the yellow at the back of the head. <br /> <br /> Here&#039;s a young female from a different location, yet even younger, freshly emerged:<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101096/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_full_body_berghem_netherlands.html" title="Young female Small Emerald Damselfly - full body, Berghem, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/101096_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=2NzMMLlhCqMei%2Bp9uY5rJcgbdMg%3D" width="124" height="152" alt="Young female Small Emerald Damselfly - full body, Berghem, Netherlands I&#039;m happy with this observation as I had never seen the species before.<br /> <br /> As a species native to Southern/Central Europe, it used to be very rare to find in Northwestern Europe yet over time has become less rare. It is now listed as &quot;somewhat rare&quot;, the emerald least commonly found.<br /> <br /> Striking about the species, as the name implies, is its small size. It really is tiny, typically only 3 cm, whereas most other emerald species are 4.5-5 cm in length.<br /> <br /> This is an interesting moment in its life cycle. This individual is a freshly emerged female. It hasn&#039;t dried up yet, and the wings aren&#039;t hard enough to spread. Furthermore, it doesn&#039;t yet have its final imago colors, instead a beautiful palette of shiny greens.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101097/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101094/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_closeup_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101095/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_side_view_berghem_netherlands.html Berghem,Europe,Geotagged,Lestes virens,Netherlands,Small Emerald Damselfly,Summer,World" /></a></figure><br /> Note the color difference. In dutch we call the series of emerald damselfy species &quot;armored damselfies&quot;, after their metallic look. Europe,Lestes virens,Loonse en Drunense Duinen,Netherlands,Small Emerald Damselfly,World Click/tap to enlarge

Small Emerald Damselfy - top view, Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Netherlands

Small Emerald Damselfy, Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Netherlands https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101981/small_emerald_damselfy_-_top_view_loonse_en_drunense_duinen_netherlands.html<br /> A young female. Other than its unusually small size, another identification key is the yellow at the back of the head. <br /> <br /> Here's a young female from a different location, yet even younger, freshly emerged:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101096/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_full_body_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> Note the color difference. In dutch we call the series of emerald damselfy species "armored damselfies", after their metallic look. Europe,Lestes virens,Loonse en Drunense Duinen,Netherlands,Small Emerald Damselfly,World

A young female. Other than its unusually small size, another identification key is the yellow at the back of the head.

Here's a young female from a different location, yet even younger, freshly emerged:

Young female Small Emerald Damselfly - full body, Berghem, Netherlands I'm happy with this observation as I had never seen the species before.<br /> <br /> As a species native to Southern/Central Europe, it used to be very rare to find in Northwestern Europe yet over time has become less rare. It is now listed as "somewhat rare", the emerald least commonly found.<br /> <br /> Striking about the species, as the name implies, is its small size. It really is tiny, typically only 3 cm, whereas most other emerald species are 4.5-5 cm in length.<br /> <br /> This is an interesting moment in its life cycle. This individual is a freshly emerged female. It hasn't dried up yet, and the wings aren't hard enough to spread. Furthermore, it doesn't yet have its final imago colors, instead a beautiful palette of shiny greens.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101097/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101094/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_closeup_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101095/young_female_small_emerald_damselfly_-_side_view_berghem_netherlands.html Berghem,Europe,Geotagged,Lestes virens,Netherlands,Small Emerald Damselfly,Summer,World

Note the color difference. In dutch we call the series of emerald damselfy species "armored damselfies", after their metallic look.

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The Small Emerald Damselfly

The Small Emerald Damselfly or Small Spreadwing, ''Lestes virens'' is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has the typical appearance of a ''Lestes'' damselfly; it has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body.

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Similar species: Dragonflies And Damselflies
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
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By Ferdy Christant

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Uploaded Sep 23, 2020. Captured Jun 23, 2020 10:38.
country flag of Netherlands Explore Netherlands 8,314 2,306 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/7.1
  • 1/1600s
  • ISO400
  • 105mm