Golden-ringed Dragonfly
Cordulegaster boltonii, male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Family:	Cordulegastridae
Genus:	Cordulegaster
Species:	C. boltonii
Binomial name
Cordulegaster boltonii (Donovan, 1807)

The Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking dragonfly and the longest British species ^[1], the only one of its genus in Britain. ^[2]

Contents 1 Identification 2 Larvae 3 Behaviour 4 See also 5 External links 6 References

[edit] Identification

They are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which no other dragonfly in Britain has. ^[3]

[edit] Larvae

The female lays the eggs in shallow water. The hairy larvae live at the bottom of the water and are well camouflaged amongst the silt. ^[4] They emerge after about 2-5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.

[edit] Behaviour

They are often seen flying leisurely over mountain streams or a river; they also occasional show up at a pond. They are also typically seen flying over heath land. Their bright yellow and black stripes make them easy to identify, even from a fair distance away. They feed mainly on insects ranging from small prey such as midges to flies, butterflies and even bumble bees. This strikingly-coloured insect is incredibly aerobatic and they sometimes fly very high up into the sky. ^[5]

[edit] See also

• List of British dragonflies

[edit] External links

• British Dragonfly Society

[edit] References

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