Damselfly for ID

[peterbolson]

This one seems to have a rather exotic colour scheme. Is one of the female common blue forms ?

[wint]

Hi Peter

It's a female Large Red Damselfly.

Paul

[peterbolson]

Thanks - that's fascinating Wint. It seems to have very little red in it so which of the 3 forms is it ? I didn't realise they had blue legs.

[RoyW]

Hi Pete,

There are only two damselfly species in Britain than have any red at all on the abdomen, the Large Red and the Small Red - although immature female Scarce Blue-tails are orange. The two red damselflies can be seperated by the colour of the legs - red/ orange in Small Red, and black (sometimes loking grey or bluish) in Large Red. Large Red Damselflies also have obvious antehumeral stripes, which are absent (or very narrow) in Small Red.

Your damselfly is immature, so is not as red as it will become. It is also photographed from an unusual angle - most damselflies are pale underneath.
As for the form, it is either typica or fulvipes, a view of the top side of the abdomen would be necessary to seperate the two.

Roy.

[peterbolson]

Thanks very much for that very helpful reply Roy.