Anax parthenope, the Lesser Emperor is a dragonfly

Dragonfly

A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...

 of the family Aeshnidae

Aeshnidae

The hawkers include the largest dragonflies found in North America and Europe, and are among the largest of the dragonflies on the planet...

. It is found in Southern Europe

Southern Europe

The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...

, north Africa and Asia.

Identification

A. parthenope is smaller and less colourful than the Anax imperator. In general appearance, especially when seen on the wing, A. parthenope is similar to A. imperator but A. parthenope tends to hold its abdomen straighter than A. imperator. A large dragonfly seen in flight with a bent abdomen is most likely to be A. imperator rather than A. parthenope. A. parthenope has a blue saddle at S2 and S3 which can be seen in flight which is in contrast to the rest of the abdomen which is brown. There is a yellow rin at the base of S2. The eyes are green. It is similar to A. ephippiger although A. ephippiger is slightly smaller and slenderer and its blue saddle does not wrap around S2 but is mostly blue on top. A. ephippiger has brown eyes.

Distribution and habitat

Occurs in much of southern and central Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 including most Mediterranean islands, across Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 to Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 and China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, and north Africa. It has been found on the Canary islands

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...

 and the Madeira

Madeira

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...

 archipelago. It is spreading north and was first seen in Great Britain in 1996 where it has since bred.

Behaviour

In the south of its range A. parthenope can be on the wing in March. It is most commonly seen from June to September but can still be around in November. Often seen patrolling around ponds, lakes and other still water. Where it occurs with A. imperator it is usually less abundant. When A. parthenope and A. imperator occur at the same ponds A. imperator is dominant. Male and females mate in the normal dragonfly manner and after mating the pair stay in tandem and egg-laying usually occurs whilst still in tandem. This behaviour not seen in other European hawkers with the exception of Aeshna affinis

Aeshna affinis

The Southern Migrant Hawker or Blue-eyed Hawker is a dragonfly found in southern Europe and Asia. It is in the family Aeshnidae and is very similar in appearance to A. mixta.-Identification:...

, although two migrants to Europe, A. ephippiger and A. junius also oviposit in tandem. Eggs are inserted into plants or in mud and hatch out in two months. Larval development takes two years.