I have been asked by another member to put a blog up to aid people to identify Dragonflies and Damselflies. This blog will just focus on the more common species found in the UK. (All shots were taken with either S5600 or S200EXR)

Dragonflies and Damselflies belong to the insect order Odonata, which means "Toothed Jaws". There are 3 subgroups of Odonata. Zygoptera (Damselflies), Anisoptera (Dragonflies) and Anisozygoptera (A primitive group now almost extinct).

Looking at the lifecycle of the Dragonfly starting with the egg. Eggs are laid either into soft plant tissue (Hawker Dragonflies) or directly into the water (Darter Dragonflies). Larvae then hatch in 2 to 5 weeks (Temperature dependant). The larvae are encased in a tough cuticle which must be shed as they grow, each time it is shed they are said to enter a new stadium. The larvae are fearsome predators, feeding on insect larvae, snails, small fish and tadpoles. The Dragonflies are in Larval form for 1 to 3 years depending on species. Finally the Dragonfly Larva leaves the water. A fully formed adult is present inside the cuticle of the final stadium. Most Larvae emerge by climbing up vegetation at the waters edge.the adult Dragonfly then emerges (See last blog). Newley emerged Dragonflies are called tenerals. They will then disperse away from the water to mature. Maturation can take a few days to several weeks. Once mature they will return to the water to find a mate. Once a mate is found the male will grasp the females thorax with his legs then using his **** appendages (Claspers) grasp the female behind her head. The females reproductive organs are located under the 8th abdominal segment and this must join with the males under his 2nd abdominal segment.When this occurs it is called the "Wheel Position". After copulation the female will then go and lay her eggs, often guarded by the male. This is called "Oviposting".

First up are the DAMSELFLIES. They are the smallest of the order. They have a weak, fluttering flight. The front and back wings are the same shape and are held closed over the abdomen when they are at rest. The largest of the Damselflies are called DEMOISELLE. 2 species of demoiselle are found in the UK. Beautiful and the Banded.

BANDED DEMOISELLE

Males have a metallic blue-green body and a dark blue-black band of pigment accross their wings.  Females are metallic green with a white pterostigma on the wings.

Male

Female. White pterostigma visible on wingtip.

COMMON BLUE DAMSELFLY

Males are bright blue and are distinguished from other blue damselflies by the club shaped marking on the top of abdominal section 2 and the all blue upper surface of abdominal sections 8 and 9. Females come in 2 forms, blue and drab (beige-ish). Females are distinguished from other damselflies by a medial spine under abdominal section 8 (blue tailed damselflies also have this)

Male

You can just make out the club shaped marking on abdominal section 2 in this shot.

Male having a bite to eat. The strong powerful jaws have sharp teeth and are hinged sideways so they san slide over the other. This enables them to slice and crush pray with ease. They eat up to 20% of their body weight each day.

Mating Wheel. The female is the drab form.

AZURE DAMSELFLY

Very similar to the common blue. The male is distinguished from the common blue by a black U shaped mark on abdominal section 2. Females come in a green form and blue form. They don't have the spine bellow abdominal section 8.

Male

Oviposting. They stay in tandem to ovipost, sometimes the female becomes totaly submerged. The female in this shot is the green form.

EMERALD DAMSELFLY

Males are metallic green and develop a powdery blue colour on the thorax, on the first 2 abdominal segments and on the apex of the abdomen. Females are metallic green going into pale brown on the sides of the thorax and abdomen. 

Male

Female

Tandem (prior to forming mating wheel)

Emerging

Fully Emerged (before they make their maiden flight they are referred to as "Tenerals").

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY

Only 2 species of red and black damselfly are found in the uk, the other being the small red. Large Reds have black legs and black pterostigma on the wings. In the Small Red these are both red. Females come in 3 forms, Melanotum, intermedia and fulvipes. Theyvary with the ammount of black on the abdomen, melanotum having the most black. Males are predominantley red.

Female (fulvipes)

Male

BLUE TAILED DAMSELFLIES

These are distinguished by their bright blue abdominal segment 8. Immature males have a green thorax which turns blue as they mature. The abdomen is almost metallic black. They have a large bi-coloured pterostigma on the fore wing. Females commence life in either the rufescens form (redish pink thorax) or form violacea (violet thorax). As the form fufescens matures the thorax and abdominal section 8 become yellowish brown. The form violacea can mature with male like colouring or a brownish thorax and abdominal section 8. The females have the spine on the underside of abdominal section 8.

Immature male (notice the bi-coloured pterostigma)

Female form violacea

Mating wheel (female form rufescens)

DRAGONFLIES

Dragonflies are much larger than Damselflies and hold their wings open when at rest. They come in 4 main sub catagories, Darters, Chasers, Skimmers and Hawkers.

BLACK DARTER

Males have a waisted abdomen and are black when mature, yellow when immature. Females are yellow, becomming olive with age. They are the only black darter in the UK so are easily identified. When immature they can be identified by having completely black legs and have a row of 3 yellow spots enclosed within a black stripe on the side of the thorax.

Male

Female

Mating wheel

COMMON DARTER

Mature males have a redish orange abdomen. Immature males and females have a yellowish to light brown abdomen. Old females may become redish! Look for the yellow stripe on the outerside of the legs. They may be confused with the Ruddy Darter but they have all black legs and have a more club shaped abdomen than the Common Darter.

Male

Female

Mating wheel

RUDDY DARTER

Often confused with the common darter. The males have a more club shaped abdomen and the legs are all black. The males are a deeper red than the Common Darter. The Ruddy Darters wings can aquire a golden hue with age.

Male

Tandem

Mating wheel

BROAD BODIED CHASER

A bulky Dragonfly with a broad flat abdomen. In males the abdomen is powder blue (yellowish brown when immature) and females are yellowish brown. They both have yellow lateral spots on the side of the abdomen.

Male

Female

FOUR SPOT CHASER

It is quite hard to differentiate between males and females. They have a small brown spot in the middle of the leading edge of their wings along with the dark pterostigma (hence the name).

Rarer form praenublia (more extensive wingmarkings)

Emerging

 

Empty Larvae Casings

This is a fully emerged adult prior to taking its maiden flight. They are referred to as "Tenerals". Tenerals can be recognised by the shiny wings and drab colouration of the abdomen.

KEELED SKIMMER

Immature Keeled skimmers have have yellow to light brown abdomen. Mature females become dark brown and males become blue. The pterostigma are yellow. Males can be confused with the black Tailed Skimmer, but in the later, as the name suggest, they have a black tip to the abdomen.

Male

Mating wheel

BLACK TAILED SKIMMER

Immature males and females have yellow abdomen with longitudinal black stripes on the upper surface. Older females become dark brown, males become blue with a black tip to the abdomen. They have black pterostigma.

Male

Female

Mating wheel

BROWN HAWKER

Brown hawkers have amber suffused wings. Males have blue spots along the sides of the abdomen which is also more wasp-wasted then the female. Females have pale yellow abdominal markings. The only othe brown hawker in the UK is the rare Norfolk Hawker.

Male

Female (eating wasp)

Oviposting

COMMON HAWKER

Easily confused with the Southern and Migrant Hawkers. The costa (leading edge of the wing) is yellow in the Common Hawker and brown in the others.

Male

MIGRANT HAWKER

The yellow triangle on segment 2 is the best way to differentiate between this and the Common Hawker, also the brown costa (not developed on this immature specimen).

Male

Female

Female oviposting (Into bankside vegetation)

SOUTHERN HAWKER

Males are marked bright green becoming blue towards the tip of the abdomen. Females have a stouter abdomen and are patterned yellow green.

Male

Female

Oviposting

EMPEROR DRAGONFLY

The male has greeny blue eyes, green thorax and blue abdomen with black markings along the surface. The females abdomen is predominantly green with black linear markings.

Male

Male in flight (taken with S5600!!)

Mating wheel

Oviposting

Some of the Hawkers are difficult to tell apart as the markings can be very similar.

GOLDEN RINGED DRAGONFLY

One of the largest UK Dragonflies. It is common in moorland and heathland areas. It is unlikely to be mistaken for any other UK species on account of its size and distinct black and yellow markings. Males are distinguished from females by having a distinct club shaped abdomen. The females have long pointed **** appendages.

Female

Female feeding

 

I hope this helps in identification of the various species. As I said at the start, it just covers the more common species found in the UK.

Stu.

Its now Wednesday morning and if by magic (the shop keeper appeared!) my original blog has returned. For those interested this one has more detail regarding the life cycle of the species but contains all the same photographs.

I have been asked about any tips regarding photographing Dragonflies.......PATIENCE PATIENCE AND MORE PATIENCE!!. I find it best to spend half an hour observing movements. Many of the species will return to the same roost after flight. When you have chosen your subject, move in to the roost when the subject is in flight and await for its return. Usual things like slow movement etc as with all wildlife photography (I have spent hours sat waist deep in ponds with camera on tripod). Know your subject is also useful. Early morning or late evening they are more docile. Capturing them emerging is easy enough...if you can find them! Most emerge on vegetation emerging from the water or crawl out of the water some distant to emerge on bank side vegetation. This usually occurs during the night or early morning. Knowing which habitats they prefer (species dependant) is also useful. Keeled Skimmers and Golden Ringed Dragonflies prefer acid moorland or heathland streams and bogs, Banded Demoiselle prefer slow moving rivers and streams with open bankside and adjoining meadows. To get a really top shot, always look at the roosts they use and go for one with a clear background to make the subject stand out. Water always works well for background clarity and colour. This is not always possible but it is worth checking out prior to selecting your subject.

Just thought I would drop this one in. It is a Violet Dropwing, spotted on holiday in Cyprus.

Stu.