Damselflies for I.D please

[Keith Talbot]

im making a big effort this year getting to know dragon and damselflies,

can someone id these for me please,they were taken today in the New Forest

1 2 3

number 3 i did think was a common blue but there are southern in the same area?

[aeshna5]

1 male Beautiful Demoiselle
2 female Large Red Damselfly
3 male Southern Damselfly

[Hedge Witch]

I think 3 is the Southern Damselfly. The markings on segment 2 look right, and unless I'm seeing things, the pterostigma is darker in the centre, with the right shape for Coenagrion mercuriale.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

1 male Beautiful Demoiselle
2 female Large Red Damselfly
3 male Southern Damselfly

Seconded!

The Large Red is a recently emerged female so isn't as red as it will be.

If you are by any of the small streams running through heathland areas in the New Forest you are more likely to find Southern Damselfly than Common Blue. Common Blue are more likely to be found at some of the larger ponds - they do move around though so don't rely on this for ID!.

Roy.

[Keith Talbot]

thanks all

Originally Posted by RoyW

The Large Red is a recently emerged female so isn't as red as it will be.

Roy.

thats what threw me

Originally Posted by RoyW

If you are by any of the small streams running through heathland areas in the New Forest you are more likely to find Southern Damselfly than Common Blue. Common Blue are more likely to be found at some of the larger ponds - they do move around though so don't rely on this for ID!.
Roy.

it was exactly that a small stream running through heathland

i'll have to back for a better pic,they were all over the place,i just presumed they were common blue

keith