Butterfly dragonfly - Butterfly dragonfly

An insect that belongs to the order Odonata and family Odonata in the class Insecta. Its body length is about 35 mm, and although its abdomen is short, its wings are long, indigo-black, and wide, allowing it to fly like a fluttering butterfly. A species of pond and marsh on flat land, it is found in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Tanegashima, but is also distributed in the Korean Peninsula and central and northern China, appearing from July to September. Outside Japan, many different species are found in Southeast Asia, and the Okinawan Butterfly Dragonfly can be found south of Okinawa. The larvae grow in stagnant water on flat land. The population of Japanese Butterfly Dragonflies has declined significantly in recent years due to pesticide pollution.

[Shojiro Asahina]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱トンボ目トンボ科に属する昆虫。体長約35ミリメートルで、腹長は短いがはねは黒藍(こくらん)色で長く、幅も広いのでチョウの舞うように飛ぶ。平地の池沼種で、本州、四国、九州、種子島(たねがしま)に産するが、朝鮮半島、中国中北部にも分布し、7～9月に出現する。国外では東南アジアに多くの別種を産し、沖縄以南にはオキナワチョウトンボがみられる。幼虫は平地の停水に育つ。日本産のチョウトンボは、農薬汚染で近年著しく減少した。

［朝比奈正二郎］

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