Description

Over all length 29 - 36mm. The commonest "blue" damselfly found on the site. Males are very blue with black markings, with thick blue shoulder stripes and almost solid blue on segments eight and nine (towards the tip of the abdomen). On the Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella the blue shoulder stripes are thinner than the black lines below them, whereas with the Common Blue the blue shoulder stripes are thicker than the black lines below them. The females occur in blue and green forms and tend to get duller as they age. Both sexes do not have the Coenagrion spur (see Azure Damselfly).

Habitat

Can be found in a wide range of water bodies but normally avoids very small ones. At Netherfield Lagoons it breeds in all of the water bodies in very large numbers. Tenerals and immatures can be seen in the grass beside most of the paths in their season.

Status and distribution

The commonest damselfly on the site (often counted in hundreds). Nationally very common and often abundant at some sites. Very common in all suitable habitat in Nottinghamshire.

Best time to see

May to early September.