These curious species spend 95% of their life under water while larvae state and only 5% of it as an adult, where it lives on the land and air with the only objective to mate and reproduce. When the larvae are fully grown (around 2 years old) they come out from the water to suffer a big change. Its wings and abdomen expand and when these have hardened enough and the all body warmed sufficiently, near 40º C, it flies off as an adult. As a proof of this amazing transformation, one can find the exuvia (final larval skin) on the waterside, usually grabbed to thin vegetation.
There are more than 5 thousand dragonflies’ species around the world though in Madeira Archipelago one can only find 6, where one is endemic to the Madeira and Gran Canaria and Tenerife Islands. They are:
Small Bluetail (Ischnura pumilio)
Blue Emperor (Anax imperator)
Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope)
Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger)
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii)
Island Darter ( Sympetrum nigrifemur)
If you whish, you may print the Madeira Dragonflies Checklist down on this webpage.
