Field Guide
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Red-eyed Damselfly
Erythromma najas
Not yet photographed by the community
Bright red eyes; perches on floating lily pads.
Species Profile
Green List; stable and locally common in suitable habitat
- Lifespan
- 2–3 months as adults in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 28–34 mm body length; wingspan approximately 34–40 mm
- Habitat
- Still and slow-moving freshwater bodies with floating vegetation, including ponds, ditches, and canal margins.
- UK Distribution
- Southern England and Wales, with populations expanding northward; resident species with peak activity May to September.
- Diet
- Small flying insects captured in flight, including mosquitoes, gnats, and small flies.
- Prey
- Mosquitoes, midges, small flies, and other small aerial insects
- Predators
- Larger dragonflies, birds (particularly robins and wrens), spiders, and fish
- Mating Season
- May to September, with peak activity June to August
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs directly into floating plants or submerged vegetation; nymphs develop over 2–3 months; typically one generation per year in the UK
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial and perch on floating vegetation, defending feeding areas aggressively. They are distinctive for their bright red eyes and frequently hover close to the water surface. Mating pairs often remain tandem-coupled for extended periods.
- •The bright red eyes are a distinctive feature that gives the species its common name and are more prominent in males than females
- •It is one of the few damselflies that regularly hunts from floating plants rather than reed stems
- •Males can often be seen in 'tandem' formation with females, linked by the abdomen for up to several hours
- •The species has expanded its UK range northward over recent decades, likely due to climate change and habitat creation
- •Red-eyed Damselflies are relatively recent colonisers of the UK, having only become established since the 1990s
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