Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio)

Quick ID Link

The Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly

These images were taken in Hampshire's New Forest. After a thorough search of the area an isolated pocket of perhaps 10 males were located.

This damselfly lived up to its name. It is not common and is restricted to some very specific habitat. They were resident in a very boggy area that was grazed by both cattle and horses which kept the bank side vegetation very low, a requirment of this species in some locations.

This Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly can be seen from early June until late August and occasionally into early September.

The male could easily be confused with the Common Blue Tailed Damselfly which is generally slightly larger but not exclusively so. The main identifying feature between the two species are the blue segements near the abdomen's tip.

In the Common Blue Tail segment 8 is all blue with segment 9 being black. In the Scarce Blue Tailed variety segment 9 is blue with about a third of segment 8. In addition the Scarce Blue Tail is a some what paler blue and has a less purposeful flight. Differentiating between the species can be challenging and a close examination is necessary without a trained eye.

The female when mature is green in colour with a black abdomen, otherwise it is similar to immature specimens which are bright orange (see below).

Photographic Overview - The Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly

All of my images are taken in handheld mode without the use of any camera support and this overview is written with that in mind. In addition my primary aim is to achieve the whole of the subject in focus.

Trying to obtain good images of the Scarce Blue Tail Damselfly can be challenging. They have a tendancy to fly and settle over boggy habitat, in doing so making close ups virtually impossible owing to a lack of accessibility and without getting too wet or being intrusive. Very occasionally one may venture close to the edge of the bog and a quick shot is possible using a pre-set shutter speed.

They tend to settle very low down and the images can be hampered by glare from the waters surface which may cause an unwanted sequin effect in some images. These are a complete spoiler in my opinion and should be avoided at all costs. I found that the best images were obtained when the background was not open water but had some green foliage in the shot.

If you want to know more about this species, then follow this link - To Narrative

Like to see further images of this damselfly, then follow this link - To Further Images

If you want to see the best of these images, then follow this link - To Slide Show

These images were obtained by stealth and patience alone, no other non photographic techniques were used. I hope you have enjoyed browsing my websiteand that you'll return again soon.

Page Updated 07/11

All of these photographs were taken by and remain the property of Chris Brooks

Return to Home Page  Narrative  Further Images  Slide Show  Identification Guide  Larvae Identification