Copyrighted by Troy Bartlett
This delicate, graceful Insect looks fragile but She is a highly efficient and voracious predator. Moving through a swarm of Gnats, Common Blue Damselfly scoops Them up from the air with her legs. Gripping a Gnat tightly, She devours Him with her powerful jaws.
Tolerating a wide range of habitat and water conditions, Common Blue Damselfly is often one of the first species to colonize a new pond. Widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, Common Blue Damselfly can be found as far north as the Orkneys and as far as east as Mongolia as well as in North America. Hardier than She looks, She makes her home at slow moving rivers and largish lakes.
As a Nymph, Common Blue Damselfly is a brownish green Insect. Lying at the water’s bottom, She waits for her prey to come within reach. Spying an unwary Mayfly Nymph, She shoots out her hinged, extendable jaws at Him. After impaling the unfortunate Insect on her pincers, Common Blue Damselfly drags Him back to her lair to eat.
Common Blue Damselfly is only vulnerable when She is transforming into an adult. While emerging from her larval case, She can be picked off by Birds or eaten by a Fish. Growing rapidly as a Nymph, She often sheds her skeleton until She reaches her adult form. When She is ready to emerge, Common Blue Damselfly crawls up a plant stem, until She is out of the water. Splitting her external skeleton along her back, She hauls Herself out of her larval case. Then, Common Blue Damselfly expands her new wings by pumping blood though their veins.
Common Blue Damselfly teaches that appearances can be deceiving. Looking delicate and fragile, She seems helpless. Based on her looks alone, many people would discount Her as a predator. However among Insects, She is a highly efficient predator. In spite her seeming fragility, Common Blue Damselfly also is quite hardy.
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Common Blue Damselfly photo copyrighted by Troy’s Photo Gallery
Va. Carper