Blue Tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Size: - Approximate Length 31mm - Wing Span 35mm.

Male: - A slim damselfly with an almost all black upper surface to both the abdomen and thorax. The thorax has two fine blue strips. The eighth segment of the abdomen is all blue. The black of the remainder of the abdomen is broken only by a fine light line at each abdominal segment joint. The flanks of the thorax are sky blue. Sexually immature males vary in colour. The ultimately blue areas of the thorax starting off grey / green and abdominal segment 8 grey / violet.

This narrative was kindly written and supplied by Mr Ken Crick

All Photography by Chris Brooks

Click on the thumb-nails to enlarge the images.

Female: - The abdomen is of a considerably heavier build than the male. The flanks of the thorax can be seen in one of four colour forms, rose pink, violet, green or blue. The blue form, which closely resembles the male, being the most commonly observed.

Status: - Common & very widespread in England, Wales & Ireland. Also found across much of Scotland.

Habitat: - Sometimes the only Odonata species present at a site if roadside run off or other mild pollutants make the water unsuitable for other species. Wide

ranging, found on garden ponds, bog pools, brackish pools, lakes, gravel pits, streams, rivers, canals and ditches.

Flight period: - Commonly seen from May to early September.

General: - Joined couples are readily located and often allow close examination. They are sexual athletes with copulation lasting from 2 to 6 hours. They are companion species of both Common Blue and Azure Damselflies. Males are territorial remaining close to water. The female egg-lays alone. On cloudy days this species is

often the only active odonate. Despite appearing to remain close to water and an apparently weak flight action, the species readily seeks out new favourable breeding locations. The mature adults often roost by water, making use of narrow stemmed rushes around which they can see, one eye either side. The casual observer may confuse this species with the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio) but careful examination would reveal that I pumilio has a blue tip covering the 9th abdominal segment and not the 8th.