Blue-tailed Damselfly

Description

Small dark Damselfly with a coloured tip to the abdomen.

Male: light-blue spot near the end of the abdomen.

Female: can be in at least 5 different colour forms.

Where to See

Latin NameIschnura elegans
Habitat

Found in a very wide range of lowland habitats including brackish or polluted water where it may be the only species present.

Status & Distribution

Abundant throughout the British Isles.

Similar Species

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly :has a coloured spot lower down on S9.

Red-eyed Damselfly: red eyes and the coloured spot is lower down on S9-10.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly: red eyes and the coloured spot is lower down on S9-10.

 

Species GroupDamselflies
Identification Notes
  • Length: 31mm
  • Two toned pterostigma (wing spots).
  • Male: light-blue spot at the end of the abdomen (segment 8), blue ante-humeral stripes on the thorax and blue eyes.
  • Female: 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).
Flight PeriodBlue-tailed Damselfly

Similar Species

Red-eyed Damselfly
Small Red-eyed Damselfly
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
/