Large red damselfly
Its abdomen color varies so much between females that some individuals appear almost entirely black while others are mostly red, all within one population.
| Where | Ponds, ditches and canal margins |
|---|---|
| Size | 33 to 36 mm body length |
| When | April to July |
Male Large red damselflies are bright red with a black thorax and black rings near the tip of the abdomen. Females occur in three color forms ranging from mostly black to mostly red, but always show black legs, which separates them from the orange-legged Small red damselfly.
It is typically the first damselfly to appear each year, emerging at ponds, ditches and canals in spring before spreading into nearby grassland and woodland.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Red, Black
Active
Day
To people
One of the earliest damselflies seen each spring; it does not bite or sting people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Close in length at about 25 to 35 mm body length, but its legs are orange rather than the black legs of the Large red damselfly.
Questions
Is the Large red damselfly dangerous to people?
One of the earliest damselflies seen each spring; it does not bite or sting people.
When can you see the Large red damselfly?
The Large red damselfly can be seen from April to July, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Mati Marits, University of Tartu, Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Narrow-winged damselflies›Pyrrhosoma
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.