Damselfly I.D confirmation please

[Keith Talbot]

somemore damsels for i.d please only this time im going to see if i can get it right first

1

2

3


is 1 an immature Azure (m or f?),2 female Littel Red and 3 female Southern?

thanks

[britnik]

Keith

Perhaps you can give your reasons for your suggestions
If only to help us beginners.

I find females pretty difficult.
and damselflies.

Nick

[RoyW]

Well done Keith, all species identified correctly (2 - would normally be known as 'Small' rather than 'Little' Red Damselfly though.


Reasons for these ID's (for Britnik!);
1. Is an immature male Azure Damselfly - the diagnostic 'U' shaped marking on the second abdomen segment can be seen (only in side view though), and the long black 'spikes' on the side of the abdomen are also not seen on Southern Damselfly, the only other Coenagrion species in your area (Common Blue Damsel can be easily excluded by the two short black stripes on the side of the thorax).

2. A female Small Red Damselfly, form melanotum. Other forms of this species would be more easily identifiable as 'red' damselflies because they would actually show some red colouring! There are no other British species that have reddish (quite brown in this example) legs and such an extensively black thorax and abdomen though. Immature female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies have orange legs, but they are largely orange (turning to green) on the sides of the thorax, and only show black on top of the thorax.

3. This can be identified as a female of a Coenagrion species by the two short black bars on the side of the thorax (+ general appearance). The shape of the rear edge of the pronotum, + the shape of the pterostigmas (not obvious because this one is still immature, so they are not as dark as they will become) can then be used to identify the species.

Roy.

[Keith Talbot]

Originally Posted by RoyW

Well done Keith, all species identified correctly (2 - would normally be known as 'Small' rather than 'Little' Red Damselfly though.

Roy.

Doh! i new that,dont know why i put little

thanks for the detailed explanation for britnik,i couldnt have put it like that

[britnik]

Yes, thanks to Roy, I still have a long way to go
and thanks to Keith for the original photos