The Alpine emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora alpestris) is a striking large dragonfly with a wingspan of six to seven centimetres. Its body is greenish-black in color, the rump and eyes are green, and the abdomen is black. She has a yellow spot on both sides of her forehead. The main distribution area of the Alpine emerald dragonfly, which the nature conservation association BUND and its Bavarian subsidiary, Bund Naturschutz (BN), have now proclaimed “Dragonfly of the Year 2023”, extends from Norway through Siberia to the north and east of Japan. In Germany, the species only occurs at altitudes above 750 meters and thus mainly in the Bavarian Alps, in the Bavarian Forest and in the Fichtelgebirge.
With the award, BN and BUND want to point out that the climate crisis is an acute danger for the Alpine emerald dragonfly. In Germany’s Red List, it is already listed as “Critically Endangered”. In Bavaria she is only doing a little better, here she is very endangered. “But if we don’t do anything for them, that can change quickly,” says biologist and BN species protection expert Christine Margraf. To ensure that the alpine emerald dragonfly does not become extinct, their habitats must be better protected. These are the moors at high altitudes, or rather the small and smallest bodies of water in them, but also dammed ditches, for example. It is important that they do not dry out or only dry out very briefly. The alpine emerald dragonfly only populates larger ponds or small lakes in the higher elevations of the Bavarian mountains.
The greatest danger for the species are the ever hotter and drier summers, also in the low mountain ranges and mountains. As a result, pools, streams, small ponds and lakes are drying up more and more often and for longer periods of time. But they need the larvae of the dragonfly species as a habitat. But the increasing temperatures also damage the larvae. Alpine emerald dragonfly mating begins in the air. The female later lays her eggs in flight over the smallest bodies of water. Some of the larvae hatch before winter or in the following spring. Then they live for up to three years in the smallest bodies of water. The flight season begins in June and lasts until September at the latest.
According to Margraf, in order for the alpine emerald dragonflies to survive, more intensive protection of the remaining moors in the low mountain ranges and the Bavarian mountains is needed. “They must not be grazed too much,” she says. “In addition, the nutrient inputs must be reduced.” And wherever the moors have already been damaged, they should definitely be renatured. “All of this requires ambitious climate protection,” says Margraf, “because the restoration of natural water levels in the moors is already being thwarted by the increasing drought.” All of this is not just about the Alpine emerald dragonfly. Rather, it is representative of many animal and plant species that are suffering from the climate crisis.