Iberian Bluetail - Ischnura graellsii - European Dragonfly photo The Iberian Bluetail ( Ischnura graellsii ) is a slightly smaller counterpart to the Common Bluetail - Blue-tailed Damselfly ( Ischnura elegans ) and is confined to Iberia and North Africa where it is again abundant on all types of water. Females of the former hybridise with males of [...]
Coenagrionidae Ischnura – Bluetails – Blue-tailed Damselflies – Forktails (N A) Common Bluetail - Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ischnura elegans - UK European Dragonfly photo The Common Bluetail ( Ischnura elegans )being one of the most abundant and common damselflies throughout Europe is frequently encountered. It is tolerant of both brackish and even mildly polluted waters. It [...]
008 Robust Spreadwing / Scarce Emerald Damselfly - Lestes dryas - UK European Dragonfly photo The Robust Spreadwing - Scarce Emerald Damselfly (Lestes dryas) quite frequently occurs with the Common Spreadwing - Lestes sponsa although it is usually found in lower numbers. The two species can easily be confused and care should be taken in identifying them [...]
Lestidae Lestes – Spreadwings – Emerald Damselflies 007. Common Spreadwing / Common Emerald Damselfly - Lestes sponsa - UK European dragonfly photo The Common Spreadwing - Common Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa) is one of the most frequently found Damselflies, particularly at shallow acidic sites with plenty of emergent vegetation although it is also tolerant of alkaline [...]
005. Copper Demoiselle - Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis - European Dragonfly photo The Copper Demoiselle ( Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) is the southern European counterpart to the Banded Demoiselle ( Calopteryx splendens) where it is common on clean rivers throughout the south of France, Spain, Portugal and North Africa. I photographed the male in the first photograph above just as it was resting [...]
004. Beautiful Demoiselle - Calopteryx virgo - UK European Dragonfly photo The Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) photo above shows the differing shades of green in the wings and body of the male which contrast well with the paler green of the leaf. The more shaded and stony stream requirements of the species are shown in the photograph below which was taken in [...]
01. Banded Demoiselle - Calopteryx splendens - UK European Dragonfly Photo The Banded Demoiselle is common throughout Northern Europe and can be found on well oxygenated streams and rivers containing water plants such as Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans). The River Dane near Holmes Chapel in Cheshire UK is typical habitat. The photo below is of a [...]