Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ischnura pumilio
A nationally scarce species that bred at 9 sites along the Red River Valley in the 1980s & 90s, but is now reduced to a single colony at Great Wheal Seton.
Males can be separated from the similar 'common' Blue-tailed Damselfly by looking at the tip of the abdomen. In the Scarce Blue-tail, there is a very small amount of black and the tip and the blue 'tail' covers one and a half segments. In the 'common' Blue-tail, the black tip is much larger, and the blue 'tail' only covers one segment. The Red-eyed Damselfly also looks very similar, but is easily identified from its bright red eyes.
Females look very different, often appearing orange when they first emerge, and fading to a pale greenish colour when they mature.
This species is also noticeably smaller than most other damselflies.
Males can be separated from the similar 'common' Blue-tailed Damselfly by looking at the tip of the abdomen. In the Scarce Blue-tail, there is a very small amount of black and the tip and the blue 'tail' covers one and a half segments. In the 'common' Blue-tail, the black tip is much larger, and the blue 'tail' only covers one segment. The Red-eyed Damselfly also looks very similar, but is easily identified from its bright red eyes.
Females look very different, often appearing orange when they first emerge, and fading to a pale greenish colour when they mature.
This species is also noticeably smaller than most other damselflies.