Blue-tailed damselfly
Females come in five colour forms, and one of them looks just like a male.
| Where | Ponds, lakes, slow rivers, even slightly polluted water |
|---|---|
| Size | 30 to 34 mm long |
| When | May to September |
It tolerates poorer water than most damselflies, so it is often the first to settle at a new garden pond.
Mating pairs can stay joined in a wheel for several hours, longer than most of their relatives.
Traits
Habitat
Water
Colour
Blue, Black
Active
Day
To people
Harmless; cannot sting
Activity through the year
JFMAMJJASOND
Often confused with
Common blue damselflyOpen entry ›
Enallagma cyathigerumBlue along much of the abdomen, not only near the tip.
Questions
Is the Blue-tailed damselfly dangerous to people?
Harmless; cannot sting.
When can you see the Blue-tailed damselfly?
The Blue-tailed damselfly can be seen from May to September, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Natural History Museum, CC0, GBIF Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Narrow-winged damselflies›Ischnura
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.