Head to head
Large Red Damselfly vs Blue-tailed Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
VS Blue-tailed Damselfly
The large red damselfly and blue-tailed damselfly are two of the most common damselflies of European ponds, ditches, and gardens, and they differ in colour and season.
| Large Red Damselfly | Blue-tailed Damselfly | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pyrrhosoma nymphula | Ischnura elegans |
| Colour | A bright red abdomen marked with black, black legs, and a red-and-black thorax | A mostly black male with a single bright blue segment near the tip of the abdomen |
| Female forms | Some red and black like the male, and some yellow and black | Several forms, some blue like the male and some green, brown, or violet |
| Season | Usually the first damselfly to emerge each year, often appearing in April and flying into the summer | Flies from spring to autumn, with adults often resting on low plants beside the water |
| Habitat | Ponds, ditches, and slow streams, including small garden ponds | Small, shallow, or somewhat polluted ponds and ditches that other damselflies avoid |
| Egg-laying | The male holds the female behind her head while she lays eggs in plant stems, guarding her from rival males | The male holds the female while she lays eggs in the stems of water plants |
| Range | Europe and into western Asia | Europe, North Africa, and parts of western Asia |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, with a stable population | Least Concern, and spreading northward in parts of Britain |
Large Red Damselfly vs Blue-tailed Damselfly: common questions
Which damselfly appears first in spring?
The large red damselfly, which is usually the first damselfly to emerge each year, often appearing in April.
Why is it called the blue-tailed damselfly?
It is named for the single bright blue segment near the tip of the male's mostly black abdomen.
Which one tolerates poor water?
The blue-tailed damselfly, which breeds in small, shallow, or somewhat polluted ponds and ditches that other damselflies avoid.