# Common Winter Damselfly (*Sympecma fusca*) The Common Winter Damselfly is a small, delicate insect that can be seen during the chilly months. They are often found resting on plants, showing off their beautiful wings. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Common Winter Damselfly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sympecma_fusca_male.JPG&width=800) Photo: Piet Spaans, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sympecma_fusca_male.JPG) ## Appearance The Common Winter Damselfly has a slender, elongated body, typically bronze-brown with metallic green reflections. Its clear wings often remain spread at rest, a unique trait for most damselflies, and it can darken its colour in colder temperatures, making it look different from other damselflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Lestidae - **Genus:** Sympecma ## Interesting facts - Spot its wings! They can shimmer like tiny stained glass windows in the sun! - Their eyes have thousands of tiny lenses, giving them a super wide view! - This damselfly is Europe's only one that survives winter as an adult! - This damselfly is a fantastic hunter, catching tiny insects mid-air with incredible speed! ## Special abilities - **Winter Survivor:** Common Winter Damselfly can survive winter as an adult by lowering its metabolism, helping them live longer than most damselflies. - **Solar Powered:** Common Winter Damselfly can darken its body colour, helping it absorb more sun and warm up faster in cool weather. - **Open Wing Rest:** Common Winter Damselfly has unique wings because they rest slightly open, helping it soak up the sun's warmth on cool days. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 40-55 mm - **Size:** 30-45 mm - **Lifespan:** 200-270 days - **Flight Speed:** 7 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding This tiny hunter loves to eat other small insects. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat aquatic insects; adults hunt flying prey. - **Primary Foods:** midges, mosquitoes, small flies, aphids, gnats - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Adults snatch midges from the air. - **Hunts:** [Yellow Fever Mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — Adults help control mosquito populations. - **Eaten by:** Common Frog (*Rana temporaria*) — Frogs sometimes snap up resting damselflies. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Pike prey on damselfly larvae in water. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Hibernating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/hibernating): Hibernating animals enter a state of metabolic depression during cold periods or when food is scarce, characterized by reduced body temperature and activity. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's safe to watch damselflies, but don't try to catch them; they are delicate! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Winter Damselfly? Compare wing shape and resting posture, where the eyes sit, body markings and the tail segments. Males and females can look very different in color. Dragonfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Common Winter Damselfly's wingspan? 40-55 mm ### How big is Common Winter Damselfly? 30-45 mm ### How long does Common Winter Damselfly live? 200-270 days ### How fast can Common Winter Damselfly fly? 7 km/h ### What does Common Winter Damselfly eat? This tiny hunter loves to eat other small insects. ### Where is Common Winter Damselfly usually found? Wetlands ### How does Common Winter Damselfly hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Morvan Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/morvan-regional-nature-park) — Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, FR · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Common Winter Damselfly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-winter-damselfly)