Blue-tailed Damselfly - British Dragonfly Society

Description

Small dark damselfly with a coloured tip to the abdomen.

Male: light-blue spot near the end of the abdomen (segment 8).

Female: light spot near the end of the abdomen (segment 8) but comes in at least 5 different colour forms.

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Species Group	Damselflies
Scientific Name	Ischnura elegans
Status & Distribution	Abundant throughout Britain.
Habitat	Found in a very wide range of lowland habitats including brackish or polluted water where it may be the only species present.
Flight Period
Adult Identification	Length: 31mm Two toned pterostigma (wing spots). Male: light-blue spot at the end of the abdomen (segment 8). Two blue ante-humeral stripes on top of the thorax. Blue eyes. Immature males have a green thorax that only becomes blue with age. Female: light spot at the end of the abdomen (segment 8). At least 5 different colour forms: violet (violacea) which mature to be blue (typica) or olive-green with a brown abdomen spot (infuscans). Orange-pink with a blue abdomen spot (rufescens) which mature to be brown (infuscans-obseleta).
Larval Information	No spotting on the back of the head. Caudal lamellae have no markings. Banding on the femur (upper leg).
Similar Species	Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly Its bright abdomen spot is lower down on segment 9. Red-eyed Damselfly Red eyes and its bright abdomen spot is lower down on segment 9-10. Small Red-eyed Damselfly Red eyes and its bright abdomen spot is lower down on segment 9-10.