Ischnura elegans, (Vander Linden, 1820) Blue-tailed Damselfly.
Family: Coenagrionidae, Genus Ischnura.
Length: 30 to 34mm
Flight season: Late April to September, longer flight period further south.
A widespread and extremely common species, also called the “Common Bluetail.” Can be found over most of Europe, except for the far northern countries. From Britain, over to Turkey and beyond, in the east; also all the countries in Europe that have coastlines along the north of the Mediterranean.
Habitat: A variety of habitats that are close to water, preferring still waters such as ponds and small lakes, will not be so common on moving waters. The Blue-tailed Damselfly is tolerant of some salinity, but avoids acid sites.
Females lay their eggs on the surfaces of floating vegetation; the male takes no part.
The larvae are carnivorous and will prey on small aquatic insects or other small aquatic larvae, taking approximately a year to complete their development, within the water.
Females occur in a variety of colour tones, normally similar to the males, immature females can have a pink or violet thorax. When the female matures, she can become darker and have a brown or yellow colouration, immature males are greener in colour than the adult blue. Generally, males and most females are mainly black with blue confined to segment 8,
(Images below show an immature male).