Golden-Ringed Dragonfly vs Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Golden-Ringed Dragonfly Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly
Scientific Name Cordulegaster boltonii Megalagrion nesiotes
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Cordulegastridae Coenagrionidae
Size 76-84 mm wingspan 25-32 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Forests
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions Europe Oceania (Hawaii - Oahu)
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Golden-Ringed Dragonfly

The longest dragonfly in Britain, adorned with bold black and yellow rings along its body. Females have a conspicuous ovipositor used to inject eggs into stream beds.

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Did You Know?

The larvae of golden-ringed dragonflies live buried in stream sediment for up to five years before emerging as adults, ambushing prey from their sandy hideouts.

Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly

An endemic Hawaiian damselfly found in wet forests, notable for breeding in water-filled leaf axils of native plants rather than streams. It is a small, delicate species. The terrestrial breeding habit is unique among Hawaiian damselflies.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most damselflies, this species lays its eggs in the tiny pools of water that collect in the leaf bases of plants, bypassing the need for streams entirely.