Green Damselfly for ID

SteveF48 · #1 (**permalink**) 26-01-2010, 12:55 PM

Please can you identify this damselfly, which I photographed on goose grass in June 2008 and on a dock leaf in July 2009?

pammosley · #2 (**permalink**) 26-01-2010, 03:43 PM

Right, I`ll have ago, just learning damsels & dragons so be warned

Maybe a Female Azure Damselfly.
There are other people on here who are experts, they`ll be along later

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 26-01-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pammosley

Right, I`ll have ago, just learning damsels & dragons so be warned

Maybe a Female Azure Damselfly.
There are other people on here who are experts, they`ll be along later

You're doing well Pam- female Azure Damselfly it is!

pammosley · #4 (**permalink**) 26-01-2010, 06:04 PM

Wow

I got one right

That`s boosted my confidence

Thanks Aeshna

Beekeeper · #5 (**permalink**) 26-01-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pammosley

Wow

I got one right

That`s boosted my confidence

Thanks Aeshna

Well done Pam, my knowledge on these insects is very limited so i wouldn't embarrass myself trying to indentify one for someone else, very brave of you.

BTW, don't know if i mentioned it before but i do like your nature website.

Ian

SteveF48 · #6 (**permalink**) 27-01-2010, 08:58 AM

Thanks everyone.
I've seen several Azure Damselflies in the field and thought I'd already identified females, which looked different to this one. I was obviously wrong and will have to revisit the photos sometime.
BTW can anyone recommend a good guide to daselflies?

pammosley · #7 (**permalink**) 27-01-2010, 09:23 AM

Hi Steve, I`ve got the Field Guide to the Dragonflies & Damselflies of Great Britain & Ireland by Steve Brooks & Richard Lewington. It`s a bit expensive, price on the back says £18.95, but it is good. You can proberly get it alot cheaper than that

Beekeeper · #8 (**permalink**) 27-01-2010, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pammosley

Hi Steve, I`ve got the Field Guide to the Dragonflies & Damselflies of Great Britain & Ireland by Steve Brooks & Richard Lewington. It`s a bit expensive, price on the back says £18.95, but it is good. You can proberly get it alot cheaper than that

Thats cheating !!

pammosley · #9 (**permalink**) 27-01-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beekeeper

Thats cheating !!

No it`s not

I need a good book with good photos & drawings ( & still get them wrong!)

RoyW · #10 (**permalink**) 29-01-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveF48

I've seen several Azure Damselflies in the field and thought I'd already identified females, which looked different to this one. I was obviously wrong and will have to revisit the photos sometime.

There's no harm in questioning your previous identifications, don't be so quick to decide that you were wrong though. The females of many dragonflies and damselflies can be quite variable, and often come in different colour forms - just because they looked different it doesn't mean that they weren't Azure Damselflies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beekeeper

Thats cheating !!

Refering to available resources is never cheating

Knowing what to check against field guides and other identification sources is part of identifying wildlife - you don't have to commit everything to memory!

Oh, and I'll second the book recommendation - it's still the best dragon/damselfly fieldguide available for Britain. If you regularly visit Europe you may want to consider the European guide by K-D Dijkstra/I Lewington, but this contains slightly less information on the flight periods etc of British species.