White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes
 A medium-small damselfly with distinctive, diagnostic broad, 'feathery' white legs.
Only mature males have pale blue coloring; females and immature males mostly creamy white. Distinctive black patterning unlike other 'blue' damselflies.
Status of White-legged Damselfly in Leicestershire & Rutland
Number of occupied 2km grid squares in Leicestershire & Rutland, up to the end of 2004: 45/720
The White-legged Damselfly is a species that reaches the current northern limits of its UK distribution in Leicestershire & Rutland.
The White-legged Damselfly is found along the full length on the Ashby Canal and on the Grand Union Canal south of Leicester City. It also occurs along the Rivers Wreake and Eye and the Gaddesby and Queniborough Brooks in north east Leicestershire. Its distribution follows the Rivers Avon and Welland along the southern boundary of |
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Distribution Map
White-legged Damselfly 2006 |
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both Leicestershire and Rutland and also their tributaries in the form
of the Eye Brook and River Chater. Of note is an apparently dramatic range extension north alongthe Ashby Canal in 2006. Prior to this date there had only been three records on this watercourse, while in 2006 it was found in virtually every 1 km Ordnance Survey grid square along the canal.
Historic records show that the White-legged Damselfly has always been uncommon in Leicester- shire & Rutland, with Corbet et al (1960) classing it as ‘extinct or status very uncertain’. |
White-legged Damselfly Habitat
This species favours unshaded sections of streams, rivers and canals with a moderate to slow flow, but is present at only a handful of localities in the counties; this suggests that other, as yet unknown, factors may influence its distribution.
Flight period of White-legged Damselfly
White-legged Damselfly Photo Gallery
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