Erythromma – Brighteyes – Red-eyed Damselfies

Large Red-eye – Red eyed Damselfly – Erythromma najas – UK European Dragonfly photo

The Large Redeye – Red eyed Damselfly ( Erythromma najas ) in the first photo is a male resting on duckweed rather than the lily-pads on which they typically perch – usually just far enough out for the water to go over the top of your wellington boots!  It is found in the lowlands of western, central and northeastern Europe and in the UK in England and Wales.The habitat preference is for standing water in ponds and canals with plenty of floating leaves from water-lilies to pondweed. Ideal habitat is shown below in the photograph of New Pool, Whitegate, Cheshire, UK with its waterlilies and sheltering trees. This site is towards the northern edge of its distribution in England.

KEY I/D FEATURES :

Mature males can be picked out at a distance on the lily pads by their striking red eyes which contrast with the blue thorax and blue at the end of the body. The abdomen appears all black with blue sides. In the hand the blue on Segments 9-10 is square-cut and the upper appendages are straight. With age the abdomen becomes dull and grey from the pruinosity. The legs are all black.

Females can be confusing as immature males are similarly coloured. When teneral they are more bronze before they change to mainly black on the upper part of the body and green below. They have short antehumeral stripes.