Chlorolestes draconicus
Occurring along sunlit, rocky, high-altitude mountain streams flowing through forested and other densely vegetated habitats, the Drakensberg Malachite is a beautiful damselfly that is found only in the Drakensberg Mountain Range along South Africa’s border with Lesotho – as most of its distribution falls within the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, the IUCN considers the species to be of least concern. Nymphs live under water on rocks and roots, the eggs having been laid on vegetation overhanging the water and the larvae then dropping into the stream below after hatching. Both adults and nymphs feed on insects.
I love damsel flies and this one is beautiful!
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They really are like jewels flitting over the water!
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Beautifully photographed!
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Thank you very much, Montucky – some of these were taken by Joubert!
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Beautiful pictures!😊 I love to shoot dragonflies.
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Thanks John! They’re quite difficult to photograph, and you do it so well!
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Very interesting.
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Thank you, Anne!
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That’s a little beauty!
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Absolutely Liz, and occurs only in such a small part of the country. A rare jewel indeed.
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