Dusky Darner - Sympycna fusca V. d. Lind.
The body of this dragonfly is mainly brown-bronze in color, with a stripe on the thorax. The body length is up to 35 mm, and the wingspan is up to 45 mm. Adult dragonflies fly around water bodies from late June to October. The lifespan of dragonflies is up to 10 months. Darners fly poorly and therefore often sit on coastal plants.
Females lay up to 350 eggs, placing them in dead tissues of sedges, reeds, bulrushes, and other plants directly at the water's surface, both in the above-water and underwater parts. The larvae develop in ponds, ditches, and other stagnant water bodies. The larval development is completed in 8-10 weeks.
Like some other dragonflies (beauties, darts), they are affectionately called "darners." Due to their slender "waist" and graceful "figure," these dragonflies are referred to as "ladies" in folk terms. Children love to play with them by tying a string to their long abdomen.
In insect mythology, dragonflies are symbols of beauty alongside butterflies and birds. Observations of insects in nature have formed folk signs: dragonflies gather together before rain. It is said that they guard the homes of snakes, warning them of danger. If a dragonfly is killed, a snake may become angry and seek revenge. Many cultures have specific beliefs: some consider a mass flight of dragonflies to be a sign of misfortune, while others believe it to be a good omen.
All species of dragonflies are harmless; moreover, they are beneficial as they destroy harmful insects.
Most of their lives, these insects spend near their habitats, which are often small stagnant water bodies with dense coastal vegetation that serves as a place for laying their eggs. The presence of many dragonflies near a water body indicates its ecological attractiveness.
Distribution: Northern Tien Shan, territory of the Issyk-Kul basin
Insects of Kyrgyzstan