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Common Blue Damselfy - female top view, Heeswijk, Netherlands Tricky to identify as females of blue damsels are highly variable. I had some help from an expert noting the broad shoulder stripe and near blank chest piece as keys. There was also a behavioral sign: this one was scooting over water easily, which apparently isn&#039;t done by the Azure damselfly. In dutch for this reason we call this one the &quot;snuffle damselfly&quot;, meaning it &quot;sniffs&quot; the water, so to speak.<br /> <br /> This photo show the broad torpedo-like black stripes which are characteristic for the female of this species.<br /> <br /> Side view:<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62421/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_side_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html" title="Common Blue Damselfy - female side view, Heeswijk, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/62421_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=CyD2B%2BZF7IneBNaf1UlJXUlGtJI%3D" width="200" height="140" alt="Common Blue Damselfy - female side view, Heeswijk, Netherlands Tricky to identify as females of blue damsels are highly variable. I had some help from an expert noting the broad shoulder stripe and near blank chest piece as keys. There was also a behavioral sign: this one was scooting over water easily, which apparently isn&#039;t done by the Azure damselfly. In dutch for this reason we call this one the &quot;snuffle damselfly&quot;, meaning it &quot;sniffs&quot; the water, so to speak.<br /> <br /> A fact about this species that blew my mind: larvae sometimes overwinter twice.<br /> <br /> On this photo you can see the chest piece where in the second seam, there&#039;s no black stripe, whilst most blue damsels do have a stripe there. This poster (in dutch) visualizes the difference:<br /> https://assets.vlinderstichting.nl/docs/b80fe318-b9b8-41ee-acba-c7cebd27c2fb.pdf<br /> <br /> The top view shows the torpedo-like black stripes which are typical for the female of this species:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62422/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_top_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html<br /> Front view:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62420/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_front_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html Common blue damselfly,Enallagma cyathigerum,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World" /></a></figure><br /> Front view:<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62420/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_front_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html" title="Common Blue Damselfy - female front view, Heeswijk, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/62420_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=RIizJwFcyLLZmmJ6GdMYIL6sBEE%3D" width="200" height="200" alt="Common Blue Damselfy - female front view, Heeswijk, Netherlands Tricky to identify as females of blue damsels are highly variable. I had some help from an expert noting the broad shoulder stripe and near blank chest piece as keys. There was also a behavioral sign: this one was scooting over water easily, which apparently isn&#039;t done by the Azure damselfly. In dutch for this reason we call this one the &quot;snuffle damselfly&quot;, meaning it &quot;sniffs&quot; the water, so to speak.<br /> <br /> A fact about this species that blew my mind: larvae sometimes overwinter twice. <br /> <br /> The side view shows the lack of a black stripe in the 2nd seam of the chest piece:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62421/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_side_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html<br /> The top view shows the torpedo-like black stripes which are typical for the female of this species:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62422/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_top_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html<br /> Common blue damselfly,Enallagma cyathigerum,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World" /></a></figure> Common blue damselfly,Enallagma cyathigerum,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World Click/tap to enlarge

Common Blue Damselfy - female top view, Heeswijk, Netherlands

Tricky to identify as females of blue damsels are highly variable. I had some help from an expert noting the broad shoulder stripe and near blank chest piece as keys. There was also a behavioral sign: this one was scooting over water easily, which apparently isn't done by the Azure damselfly. In dutch for this reason we call this one the "snuffle damselfly", meaning it "sniffs" the water, so to speak.

This photo show the broad torpedo-like black stripes which are characteristic for the female of this species.

Side view:

Common Blue Damselfy - female side view, Heeswijk, Netherlands Tricky to identify as females of blue damsels are highly variable. I had some help from an expert noting the broad shoulder stripe and near blank chest piece as keys. There was also a behavioral sign: this one was scooting over water easily, which apparently isn't done by the Azure damselfly. In dutch for this reason we call this one the "snuffle damselfly", meaning it "sniffs" the water, so to speak.<br /> <br /> A fact about this species that blew my mind: larvae sometimes overwinter twice.<br /> <br /> On this photo you can see the chest piece where in the second seam, there's no black stripe, whilst most blue damsels do have a stripe there. This poster (in dutch) visualizes the difference:<br /> https://assets.vlinderstichting.nl/docs/b80fe318-b9b8-41ee-acba-c7cebd27c2fb.pdf<br /> <br /> The top view shows the torpedo-like black stripes which are typical for the female of this species:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62422/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_top_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html<br /> Front view:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62420/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_front_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html Common blue damselfly,Enallagma cyathigerum,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World

Front view:

Common Blue Damselfy - female front view, Heeswijk, Netherlands Tricky to identify as females of blue damsels are highly variable. I had some help from an expert noting the broad shoulder stripe and near blank chest piece as keys. There was also a behavioral sign: this one was scooting over water easily, which apparently isn't done by the Azure damselfly. In dutch for this reason we call this one the "snuffle damselfly", meaning it "sniffs" the water, so to speak.<br /> <br /> A fact about this species that blew my mind: larvae sometimes overwinter twice. <br /> <br /> The side view shows the lack of a black stripe in the 2nd seam of the chest piece:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62421/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_side_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html<br /> The top view shows the torpedo-like black stripes which are typical for the female of this species:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62422/common_blue_damselfy_-_female_top_view_heeswijk_netherlands.html<br /> Common blue damselfly,Enallagma cyathigerum,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World

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The Common blue damselfly

"Enallagma cyathigerum" is a European damselfly. The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm. It is common in all of Europe, except for Iceland.

Info 16 0
Similar species: Dragonflies And Damselflies
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
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By Ferdy Christant

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Uploaded Jul 3, 2018. Captured May 27, 2018 14:20.
country flag of Netherlands Explore Netherlands 8,314 2,306 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/14.0
  • 1/60s
  • ISO64
  • 105mm