Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Male Azure Damselfly, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, England, June 2008 - click for larger image Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, England

The Azure Damselfly is distributed from southern Scandinavia to north Africa and is one of the commonest damselflies in Europe. In Britain it is found in England, Wales and southern Scotland.

It prefers small, sheltered ponds including garden ponds. They emerge between mid-May and mid-June and grow to maturity over the course of about 15 days. A mature adult lives for about 6 days in average and a good percentage return to their native pond to mate and lay eggs. Photos 3 and 4 show the females ovipositing while being clasped by the male.

It is similar to both the Variable Damselfly C pulchellum and the Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. The markings on segment 2 and at the tip of the abdomen are diagnostic.
Male and female Azure Damselfly, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, England, May 2008 - click for larger image There is a page from the British Dragonfly Society and a distribution map is available from the National Biodiversity Network.
Male and female Azure Damselfly, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, England, May 2008 - click for larger image
Male and female Azure Damselfly, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, England, June 2009 - click for larger image
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