Table of Contents
Does damselfly have legs?
Adult damselflies have a long and slender abdomen, two pairs of wings and three pairs of long legs. They also have very large eyes. Adult damselflies live near streams, lakes and ponds.
Do damselfly nymphs have wings?
Similarly, the nymphs (larvae) of the two groups differ. At that time, the nymph crawls up out of the water and molts one last time, emerging from its old skin as an adult with functional wings. Unlike butterflies and beetles, dragonflies and damselflies do not have an intermediate pupal stage before becoming an adult.
Can damselflies walk?
They have a row of stiff bristles on either side of their legs, so the three pairs form a basket to scoop flying prey. However because of the positioning of the front legs Odonata cannot walk or crawl. Damselfly flight speed has been recorded as 1.5 metres per second and 16 wing beats per second.
Why do damselfly have gills?
They breathe by opening and closing the end of their abdomen taking water to the ‘rectal gills’ inside. The water can be sucked in and forced out quickly allowing the nymph to swim using jet propulsion over short distances. This is particularly useful for escaping danger.
How many legs does a damselfly have?
6 legs
The eyes are compound, large, but usually do not touch. The antennae are short. The 6 legs are poor for walking but good for perching. Many damselflies have brilliant, gemlike colors.
Do dragonflies and damselflies mate?
Animal Sex: How Dragonflies Do It. Dragonfly and damselfly sex is a very conspicuous event, easily recognized by the heart-shaped “wheel” formation of mating pairs. Male dragonflies are very territorial and will ferociously defend their little mating area from other males.
Do damselflies make noise?
The Odonata have muscles attached to each wing, rather than to the thorax itself, as do most other insects. Williams & Feltmate (1992) say that the rustling sound damselflies make in flight is the wings rubbing upon each other as they pass.
Can damselflies breathe underwater?
Damselfly nymphs have three feather-like gills (for breathing under water) at the end of their abdomens. We call the juvenile forms nymphs rather than larvae because the odonates undergo incomplete metamorphosis.
How do you identify a damselfly larvae?
Damselfly larvae have 6 long, spindly legs, each with 2 claws at the tip. Note also the large eyes and short antennae. Adult damselflies have very slender, elongated abdomens, delicate bodies, and 2 pairs of wings that are typically held together over the body. Adult damselflies are usually found near water.
Why do male damselflies fight against each other?
“Male damselflies often have difficulty distinguishing between females of their own species and another species when making split-second decisions about whether to pursue a female,” Grether said. “I think that’s the root cause of the persistence of male territorial aggression.”
Where do damselflies live and what do they eat?
Adult damselflies have a long and slender abdomen, two pairs of wings and three pairs of long legs. They also have very large eyes. Adult damselflies live near streams, lakes and ponds. The larvae live in streams, lakes and ponds among plants and rocks. Adult damselflies eat mainly flying insects.
How are damselfly larvae different from dragonfly larvae?
Development takes longer in cooler waters where food is scarcer, whilst in warm waters there may be a new generation every year. Damselfly larvae can be separated from Dragonfly larvae by their caudal lamellae, which are fin-like structures at the end of their abdomen that act as external gills.
What kind of life cycle does a damselfly have?
Damselflies are insects. They have three stages in their life cycle: egg – larva – adult. Adult damselflies have a long and slender abdomen, two pairs of wings and three pairs of long legs. They also have very large eyes. Adult damselflies live near streams, lakes and ponds.
Where are the gills on a damselfly nymph located?
Damselfly larvae (nymphs) are aquatic, slender, usually drab insects, with 6 thin legs, large eyes, and small wing buds on the back of the thorax. The 3 gills are leaflike or paddlelike and positioned in a tripod configuration at the tip of the abdomen (unlike the gills of the related dragonflies, which are hidden within the tip of the abdomen).