| Gallery: Damselflies |  |
The damselflies belong to the sub-order 'Zygoptera'. Damselflies are usually smaller and more delicate looking than dragonflies and they tend to close their wings lengthways down the back when at rest (dragonflies hold their wings wide open at right-angles to the body at rest).
Pictures
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The beautiful male large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula). The only widespread red damselfly. This one is pictured on garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata).
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The large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) has more colours than its name would suggest. This female was photographed in May (on red campion [Silene dioica]).
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Male and female large red damselflies ( Pyrrhosoma nymphula ) coupled after mating - the male is in front. Like other damselflies, they may remain in tandem like this for some time after mating, even while flying. The females of this species (like some others) have a number of morphs - this one is the form melanotum; recognisable by the broad black stripe down the middle of the abdomen and the yellowish antehumeral stripes on the thorax.
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The male common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) can be separated from the azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) by the broader blue 'antehumeral' stripes on the top of the thorax and the club-shaped black mark on the second abdominal segment.
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Blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans) on Corylus avellana) 'Contorta'.
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The mature male blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans) can be easily distinguished from the other blue damselflies by the predominantly black upper surface of the abdomen: only segment 8 is bright blue. The thorax may be blue (as here) or green.
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The male azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) looks superficially similar to a number of other blue damselflies. It can be told apart from the common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) by the pattern of black stripes on the side of the thorax (the common blue has fewer), the thinner blue 'antehumeral' stripes on the top of the thorax and the u-shaped black marking on the second abdominal segment (all visible to some extent in this picture). The damselfly is pictured on Alchemilla mollis.
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This picture of female azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) shows the beautiful green colouration. She can still be distinguished as an azure damselfly by the pattern of black stripes on the side of her thorax. The damselfly is pictured on Festuca glauca.
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This azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) has recently emerged from it's larval skin (exuvia) which can be seen below it. The damselfly is pictured on yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus).
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Male and female azure damselflies (Coenagrion puella) copulating in the characteristic 'wheel position'. The male clasps the female behind the head using claspers at the tip of his abdomen. The female then bends her own abdomen to bring her genitalia into contact with the male's secondary genitalia which are high on the abdomen. The male has already passed sperm from the primary genitalia (near the tip of the abdomen) up to these secondary genitalia. These damselflies are pictured on bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata).
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Male and female azure damselflies (Coenagrion puella). The male is the damselfly in front; the difference in the colouration of the sexes is clearly visible. Like other damselflies, they may remain in tandem like this for some time after mating, even while flying. These damselflies are pictured on Alchemilla mollis.
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Damselfly larva can be identified by the three 'caudal lamellae' projecting from the tip of their abdomen. Dragonfly larvae have five much shorter projecting spines.
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Damselfly larva can be very variable in colouration, even within the same species. However, with practice larvae can be identified to species on other morphological characters.
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The exuvia is the empty skin, or carapace, of the last larval stage (final 'stadium'). When the larvae is ready to metamorphose, it first climbs out of the water (generally on emergent vegetation); then the carapace splits along the back and behind the head and the immature adult emerges. You can find these exuvia on the vegetation as evidence of their emergence. The exuvia in this picture is on yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus).
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