Brown Emerald Damselfly
EN

Brown Emerald Damselfly

Sympecma fusca

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympecma_fusca

Overview

Sympecma fusca, the common winter damselfly, is a damselfly a member of the Lestidae and related to the emeralds or spreadwings.

The Brown Emerald Damselfly faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland breeding sites. Drainage of ponds, ditches, and slow-flowing water bodies for agriculture and development has eliminated much of its suitable habitat across Europe.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species can be found in much of southern and central Europe stretching out to Asia where it is replaced by S. paedisca. It is found around the Mediterranean in Europe and North Africa and on many Mediterranean islands.

It can be found in all types of standing water, including in brackish waters. In winter adults are found away from water on dry plant stems usually in open areas such as...

Frequently asked questions

Why is Brown Emerald Damselfly classified as Endangered?
Brown Emerald Damselfly is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Brown Emerald Damselfly faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland breeding sites. Drainage of ponds, ditches, and slow-flowing water bodies for agriculture and development has eliminated much of its suitable habitat across Europe.
Where does Brown Emerald Damselfly live?
Brown Emerald Damselfly occurs in Åland Islands, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, and Azerbaijan (plus 51 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Brown Emerald Damselfly?
The main threats to Brown Emerald Damselfly are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.