Shropshire Birder
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Shropshire
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Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
Extremely common in Shropshire and likely to be found in a wide variety of habitats near to still or slow flowing water. First impression is of a 'black bodied' Damselfly apart from abdominal segment 8 which is a clear and striking blue. The thorax of males is normally blue (green forms are known), black on top with narrow blue antehumeral stripes. Five color forms of the female are known - most of these are seen below.....
A typical male with metallic black abdomen and narrow, blue antehumeral stripes ....
A side view of the male showing the blue coloured S8 and the diamond shaped 'two tone' wing spots.
An immature male with metallic black abdomen, the thorax and antehumeral stripes are green ....
The female (rufescens) form which represents the early stage of development after emergence........
rufescens seen from the side........
As rufescens matures the thorax and blue abdominal segment become yellow-brown - this mature form, is known as rufescens-obsoleta.
There is a second immature female form (and one of the most striking!) called violacea. This has a violet thorax with mid dorsal / humeral black stripes and a blue segment 8.
violacea can develop into two mature female forms. Seen below is infuscans with olive green thorax, black thoracic stripes and brown segment 8..
I'm still trying to observe the female andromorph form which has a male-like color pattern / broader abdomen......
The female blue-tailed varieties might appear complex but that's part of the fun when observing damselflies :-)
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