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 has a black x mark on the end of the abdomen
• female has complete antehumeral stripes on the thorax

Blue-tailed Damselfly

• colour banding on abdomen higher up on the abdomen

Large Red Damselfly

• black pterostigma (wing spot)

and I. pumilio, but these are smaller less robust looking insects and do not have red eyes.

• Females can be mistken for the melanotum form of the female Large Red Damselfly, which also develops red eyes but can be distinguished by the shape of the thoracic stripes and the differently-coloured pterostigmata: pale for Red-eyed; black for Large Red.

• Length: 35mm
• pale pterostigma (wing spots)
• Male: red eyes and blue bands at the end of the abdomen.
• Female: green-brown eyes, no blue coloration and short yellow antehumeral stripes on the thorax.