Red-eyed Damselfly

Found in lakes, gravel pits, canals and slow-flowing rivers.

The males often sit on water lily leaves defending their leaf from other males.

Locally common in southern England and the Welsh Borders.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

• smaller
• male: black x mark on the end of the abdomen
• female: has complete antehumeral stripes on the thorax

Blue-tailed Damselfly

• eyes lack red colouration
• colour banding on abdomen higher up on segment 8.

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

• eyes lack red colouration
• colour banding on abdomen higher up on segment 8 and 9.

• Length: 35mm
• pale pterostigma (wing spots)
• mostly black in colouration.
• Male: red eyes. Abdomen segments 1 (top) and 9-10 (bottom) are blue.
• Female: brown-red eyes. Abdomen dark on top and green on the bottom. Short yellow antehumeral stripes on the back of the thorax.

Long abdomen but medium-sized caudal lamellae and a small head.

Distinctive nodal notch on the caudal lamellae and three dark bands.