Lestes virens (Small Spreadwing/Small Emerald Damselfly)

A delightful find for us in 2011 in the La Brenne national park in France, noticeably smaller than other Lestes. Typically, we didn’t realize we were looking at something noticeably smaller whilst photographing it.

There are two subspecies, virens and vestalis; ours appear to be ssp. vestalis.

Id Notes

  • yellow underside to back of head (cf. other Lestes)
  • pale brown pterostigma with light (whitish) sides, though some Iberian examples have outer third yellow
  • vestalis – “blind ally” antehumeral stripe – doesn’t quite reach wing roots
  • vestalis – green on side of thorax reaches metapleural suture
  • ♂ – blue pruinosity confined to S9&10 of the abdomen – S1&2 are clear.
male
female

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