Damselfly for ID Please

[PeterD]

Could someone help me with this ID please?



Thank you

[Jason Claxton]

Hi Peter

It looks like a teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly to me,there is a form in which the female has a rufous tail instead of a blue tail.Known as form Rufescens-obsoleta,I'm not sure whether this is it.

Cheers Jason

[PeterD]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Hi Peter

It looks like a teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly to me,there is a form in which the female has a rufous tail instead of a blue tail.Known as form Rufescens-obsoleta,I'm not sure whether this is it.

Cheers Jason

Thank you Jason. The tail colouring had me totally confused
I have had a look up for your suggestion on the web and it seems to agree. Any comments from others?

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Hi Peter

It looks like a teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly to me,there is a form in which the female has a rufous tail instead of a blue tail.Known as form Rufescens-obsoleta,I'm not sure whether this is it.

Cheers Jason

This is a female Blue-tailed Damselfly but is mature not teneral.
The immature form rufescens, which has a pink (or reddish) thorax and blue tail, matures into this form which is known as infuscans-obsoleta (often given, I believe incorrectly, as rufescens-obsoleta).
Teneral Blue-tails do start out with brown tail spot so it can get very confusing!

Roy.

[Wild-Woman]

I'd agree with this id.