Quick IdentificationLarge Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
Quick ID Guide
Welcome to my quick identification guide of the Large Red Damselfly.
These graphics are meant as a guide to the key identifying features of both the male and the female dragonflies.
The text section has been kindly written & supplied by Mr Ken Crick.
For a more complete species description, follow the link below to the Large Red Damselfly narrative.
Male Large Red Damselfly
Eyes are red with a black band passing though them. There are two red stripes on the black upper surface of the thorax. The abdomen is deep red with fine black stripes at the segment boundaries. The upper surface of segments 7 to 9 sport three black bands separated by two broad areas of red. A key feature to remember is that the legs are black.
Female Large Red Damselfly
Alternatively follow the link to the main species page.
Not the species you were looking for.
All of the images and graphics are by Chris Brooks.
Obviously larger than the male, the abdomen being up to 3 times as thick. The eyes and legs match those of the male. There are 3 female colour forms. The 2 types of red female carry significantly more black on the abdomen than the male. The black segments of the abdomen are not separated by wide red bands and the abdominal segment joints are delineated with fine lines in both black and yellow. The upper surface of the thorax closely resembles that of the male except in the all black form where the antehumeral stripes are yellow.
Chris Brooks Photography
(www.dragonfly-images.co.uk)
