Common Goldenring
(Cordulegaster boltonii)

Of the seven European Goldenring species, the Common Goldenring is perhaps the most typical and widespread species. Cordulegaster boltonii is a Western and Northern European species; its range stretches from Scandinavia and the British Isles down to the Iberian peninsula and Italy. Its main distinguishing features include the yellow (rather than black) occipital triangle, and the pairs of golden rings (one wide; one narrow) on segments 2-8 of the abdomen. In all Goldenring species, the female lays her eggs by dipping her abdomen repeatedly in wet mud (or moss, etc.) in a pneumatic drill fashion.

For an overview of the Common Goldenring's distribution in Europe, hover your mouse pointer over the map symbol .
With the authors' permission we have based this map on data published in Kalkman et al. (2010).
Legend: Red = Occurs, White = Doesn't occur; Purple = Extinct; Yellow = Vagrant.

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