# Western Willow Spreadwing

*Chalcolestes viridis*

Unlike most damselflies, females insert their eggs directly into the bark of living willow or alder twigs, leaving behind distinctive gall-like scars.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Lestidae › Chalcolestes
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Willow-lined ponds, canals, ditches, and slow-flowing rivers.
- **Diet:** Small flying insects, including mosquitoes, midges, and aphids.
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Middle East
- **Size:** Wingspan of 50-60 mm; body length of 39-48 mm.
- **Lifespan:** 1 to 2 months as an adult, up to 1 year including larval stages.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss, pollution of freshwater bodies, and the removal of overhanging riparian vegetation.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless to humans. Observe quietly from a safe distance of 1-2 meters near slow-moving water to watch them hunt. If one lands on you, enjoy the moment and let it fly away naturally. No medical action is ever needed.

## About

Chalcolestes viridis , formerly Lestes viridis , is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name is the willow emerald damselfly or the western willow spreadwing .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/36934d07-e0ab-4e08-b1c4-96733cf7f5d2
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/124488
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcolestes viridis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/272435/medium.jpg (Thomas Bresson, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.