Orange featherleg
Platycnemis acutipennis
The orange featherleg is a slim damselfly with an orange-red tail and blue eyes. No other damselfly in Europe has that mix of colours. There is also a little orange spot near the tip of each wing.
Lives in
Southwest Europe, such as Portugal, Spain and France, near fresh water
Can it hurt you?
Harmless
Harmless. Damselflies have no sting, so you can just watch it.
What does it eat?
It catches small flying insects, like other damselflies.
How fast is it?
A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)
Orange featherleg about 10 km/h (6.2 mph)
A kid running fast about 13 km/h (8.1 mph)
A grown-up on a bike about 25 km/h (16 mph)
cool stuff
Fun facts
1
It is the only damselfly in Europe with an orange-red tail and blue eyes.
2
The middle of its body is a light sandy colour with black stripes.
3
The male and the female look very much alike.
4
It lives only in southwest Europe, but lately it has also been seen in Germany.
you asked
Most asked questions about Orange featherleg
?Where does the orange featherleg live?
In southwest Europe, in places like Portugal, Spain and France, near ponds and streams.
?Is the orange featherleg dangerous?
No. Damselflies have no sting and are harmless.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Platycnemis acutipennis
- Group
- Dragonflies and damselflies
- Family
- Platycnemididae
- Classification
- Insecta > Odonata > Platycnemididae
- Lives on
- Europe
- Also known as
- Orange white-legged damselfly
Where the facts come from
- Platycnemis acutipennis (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Patrice78500. CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. The sticker of this bug is drawn from this picture.
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