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The Exception to the Rule - _TNY_0720

Damselflies are the smaller cousins of dragonflies and there are two easy ways to tell them apart. First, damsels have more separated eyes while dragonflies have them closer together.

 

Second, when resting, dragonfllies keep their wings perpendicular to their body while damsels fold them away abov the abdomen.

 

But of course there has to be exceptions. The emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa) like this one and the rest of the members of Lestidae are known as spreadwings, because, even if they are damsels they like to keep their wings spread out.

 

This is a female (the males are blue) and I found her covered in dew in the early morning in the Hemmesta sjöäng wetland.

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Uploaded on February 10, 2020
Taken on July 24, 2019