Field Guide
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Azure Damselfly
Coenagrion puella
Not yet photographed by the community
Sky-blue and black; abundant at still and slow waters.
Species Profile
Green List (Least Concern); common and widespread with stable populations across the UK
- Lifespan
- approximately 2–3 months as adults in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 32–35 mm body length; wingspan 40–50 mm
- Habitat
- Clear, unpolluted freshwater bodies including ponds, ditches, canals, and slow-flowing streams with abundant aquatic vegetation.
- UK Distribution
- Widespread throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; resident species with adults active from May to September, with numbers peaking in midsummer.
- Diet
- Small flying insects including mosquitoes, gnats, small flies, and other aerial prey; nymphs feed on aquatic invertebrates.
- Prey
- Small flying insects such as Diptera; aquatic invertebrates and tadpoles (nymphs)
- Predators
- Dragonflies, birds (particularly reed warblers and great crested grebes), fish, and aquatic insects such as diving beetles and water boatmen
- Mating Season
- May to August
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs in tandem with males; eggs are laid into aquatic plants or substrate. Nymphs develop over 1–2 years underwater, with multiple generations possible depending on water temperature.
- Behaviour
- Azure Damselflies are weak fliers typically found hovering near water margins. Males are highly territorial and patrol breeding sites repeatedly. They exhibit tandem flight during mating, with pairs remaining coupled while females oviposit.
- •Males display striking cerulean-blue coloration on the abdomen, whilst females are typically greenish or bronze, with two colour morphs occurring naturally
- •Azure Damselflies can identify and reject sperm from previous matings, giving females significant reproductive control
- •The nymphs are aquatic and can survive in slightly brackish water, making them adaptable to diverse freshwater habitats
- •They have excellent colour vision and use visual signals for mate recognition and territorial disputes
- •In warm summers, some individuals may complete their lifecycle in a single season, whilst in cooler years development takes longer
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