Variable damselfly, perhaps?

[philipc]

Hello all

I would appreciate a second opinion on the damsel below.

The damsel pic was taken today on our local heathland, Hampshire / Berkshire boarder. I am thinking it’s a Coenagrion pulchellum / Variable damselfly, female, but am unsure.



What say thee?

Thanks Philip

[Ferret]

I am no expert on these but I would put this one down as a common Blue but if I am wrong, which is quite probable, could you explain why.

Ferret

[philipc]

Hi Ferret thanks for commenting, you ask why I think variable.

Well using the book I have I call it close to either variable or common, fell on variable due to markings better matching what I see in book v pic
I call it female no match to either of the males

Head marks between eyes seem to better match the Variable DF
Centre line to thorax does not match either?
Colour banding to top part of segments 1 / 2 on abdomen are present in the pic (agreed its not easy to see under the wings but they are there.)
This agrees with variable.
End segment markings are difficult to see in the book but clear in pic again seem to better match the variable almost impossible to see in the book for common blue female.

But as I am working from pictures in books to try and help and general variability / difficult picture angles make it hard to be sure, hence I was unsure

Also my book states a preference to disburse in well-vegetated areas especially when immature, the area it was found in is such.

I guess I will have to see if I can get a better pic to see the underside of abdomen to check for the spine to confirm which it is.

These blue female damselfly’s can be tricky… well for me anyways.

Regards Philip

[Wild-Woman]

Personally I think this is a Common Blue (fem) drab form. Variable females are blue or dark.
They are tricky ones.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Personally I think this is a Common Blue (fem) drab form. Variable females are blue or dark.
They are tricky ones.

I'm pretty sure it is a female Common Blue because of the broad pale ante-humeral stripes ("braces") on the thorax; the various Coenagrion species such as Variable + Azure, these are much narrower.

[RoyW]

Hi Phillip,

As has been suggested by the other posters, this is a female Common Blue. The stripe on the side of the thorax and the spine under the 8th abdomen segment would confirm that it was this species, not a Coenagrion, but they can't be seen in this photo. The features that can be seen are the broader antehumeral stripes (narrower in coenagrions, as mentioned by Aeshna), and the triangular, or arrow head, shaped black marking on the dorsal side of the 8th abdominal segment (a square/rectangular black marking on all female coenagrions now found in Britain - although a vaguely triangular shape is seen in the Irish Damselfly). Also, as Wild woman says, females of Variable Damselfly don't tend to be this colour (if they ever are!).

As for being difficult - where would the fun be if it was easy!


Roy.

[philipc]

Thank you all for your help.

It is much appreciated; I will try and get some better all round pics in future, as that seems to be my main weakness here. As they say the devil is in the detail…and knowing which detail of course.

I will update the message if I can get better details no mater which it is.

Thanks and regards Philip