Shropshire Birder
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Shropshire
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Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum)
Favours slow moving water pools or ponds and quite localised in Shropshire but a search of the bankside vegetation at Berrington Pool during June and July may prove productive! First impression is of a 'dark' blue Damselfly and on closer examination, it will be more slender in appearance. The darkness is due to the extensive black markings on the abdominal segment and thorax. The antehumeral blue stripes on the top of the thorax are usually incomplete and resemble a pair of exclamation marks! Be warned these stripes can be complete, especially in the females. The U shaped mark on segment 2 resembles a wine glass.
These two images show the classic exclamation marks quite nicely - note the 'vampire bat' on segment 9 ....
This male shows complete antehumeral blue stripes, otherwise similar features present....
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