2 x Damsel & 1 x Dragon for ID, UK (1 Viewer)

M

mathare

Well-known member

• Aug 5, 2014

• #1

Can any of you clever folk here ID the attached damselflies and dragonfly please?

All photos were taken in Richmond Park, SW London

1 - taken in July this year
2 - taken in August last year

3 - taken in July this year. I think it's a Black-tailed Skimmer but I'd like confirmation

Thanks in advance
Mat

 

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Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Aug 5, 2014

• #2

Common Blue Damelflies, and Black-tailed Skimmer

 

M

mathare

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2014

• #3

Thanks Larry.

The head of the second blue damselfly looks green compared to the blue head of the first one - is this an artefact of the photo (a reflection from the leaf?) or can head colour vary?

 

J

James Lowther

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2014

• #4

not sure about that but the first is a male while the second is a female
cheers,
James

 

pdwinter

Paul Winter

• Aug 6, 2014

• #5

James Lowther said:

not sure about that but the first is a male while the second is a female
cheers,
James

Click to expand...

That's the explanation!

 

M

mathare

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2014

• #6

The images I have seen online of female Common Blue Damselflies make her look a sort of buffy-brown colour but the damselfly in my second image is definitely blue. Isn't it? Do the females come in multiple colours?

 

pdwinter

Paul Winter

• Aug 6, 2014

• #7

mathare said:

The images I have seen online of female Common Blue Damselflies make her look a sort of buffy-brown colour but the damselfly in my second image is definitely blue. Isn't it? Do the females come in multiple colours?

Click to expand...

Yes - a blue form and another form which is sort of greeny / brown.

The also start out colourless and you will see pink ones as they change to their mature colours.

 

M

mathare

Well-known member

• Aug 7, 2014

• #8

That's great. Thank you all - it's always good to know a bit more about things than I did before :t: