Variable damselfly
The variable damselfly or variable bluet (Coenagrion pulchellum) is a European damselfly. Despite its name, it is not the only blue damselfly prone to variable patterning.
Variable damselfly | |
---|---|
Male, shoulder stripe just broken, UK | |
Female, dark form, Estonia | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Suborder: | Zygoptera |
Family: | Coenagrionidae |
Genus: | Coenagrion |
Species: | C. pulchellum |
Binomial name | |
Coenagrion pulchellum (Vander Linden, 1825) | |
Its behaviour is much like that of the azure damselfly; it usually stays close to vegetation. Immatures are often found in adjacent meadows or uncut grassy areas.
Description
The male variable damselfly has a distinctive "wine glass" marking on the second segment of the abdomen. This is a black U-shaped mark with a black line joining the segment's narrow terminal black band.[1] (This distinguishes it from the Azure Damselfly which has the U-shape but no line connecting it to the terminal band.)[1]
Male forms
- Male
S9 virtually unmarked - Male
shoulder stripe unbroken - Male
shoulder stripe broken - mating
with female blue form - mating
with young adult female blue form
Female forms
- immature female, blue form
- young adult female blue form
- adult female, dark form
Distribution
The variable damselfly occurs throughout Europe. Scattered and uncommon in mainland Britain but widespread and common in Ireland.[2]
References
- Brooks, Steve (1997). Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing. ISBN 0-9531399-0-5.
- "Variable Damselfly". British Dragonfly Society. Retrieved 27 May 2011.