Belongs to: damselflies
Compare with: blue-tailed damselfly
red-eyed damselfly
Small red-eyed damselfly Erythromma viridulum
Best time to see: early Jul to early Sep
Key facts
A small damselfly with brownish-red eyes and a bright blue abdomen and tail
Habitat: slow-moving or still water with plenty of floating vegetation, and especially hornwort
A recent colonist of Britain, spreading northwards from the south-east
Recognition
Males have a dark abdomen with a blue tip; the female's eyes are brownish-red and it is dull in colour throughout
Spend much of their time perched on floating vegetation, with their abdomen curved slightly upwards
Peak numbers are during June and July, feeding on small insects such as flies and midges
Lifecycle
Mate in tandem, the females laying eggs in the stems and leaves of floating plants
Larvae overwinter in muddy bottoms, usually emerging after one year
© Paul Ritchie
© Paul Ritchie