Stats

Lifespan: A few weeks
Size: Medium
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Freshwater wetland
Range: Europe
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Common

About

The Azure Damselfly is one of Europe's most widespread damselflies, with males displaying vivid sky-blue and black banding along their slender abdomen. Unlike dragonflies, it folds its wings along its body at rest — a distinctive habit shared by all damselflies.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Coenagrionidae
Genus: Coenagrion
Species: Coenagrion puella