 Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). Male. Taken at Radley Lakes, Oxon., on June 10th 2022. Male. Taken at Radley Lakes, Oxon., on June 10th 2022. (© David Hastings) (1/800th sec at f11. Click image for larger version)  Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). Male. Taken at Aston, Oxon., on May 20th 2024 Male. Taken at Aston, Oxon., on May 20th 2024 (© David Hastings) (1/800th sec at f13. Click image for larger version)  Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). Gynomorph female. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on May 2nd 2020. Gynomorph female. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on May 2nd 2020. (© David Hastings) (1/640th sec at f14. Click image for larger version)  Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). Andomorph female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on June 16th 2019. Andomorph female. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on June 16th 2019. (© David Hastings) (1/500th sec at f14. Click image for larger version)  Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). Female, side view. Taken at Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon., on June 9th 2024. Female, side view. Taken at Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon., on June 9th 2024. (© David Hastings) (1/800th sec at f11. Click image for larger version)  Azure Damselflies (Coenagrion puella). Pair in cop. Taken at Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon., on June 24th 2024. Pair in cop. Taken at Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon., on June 24th 2024. (© David Hastings) (1/800th sec at f11. Click image for larger version) Description Wing span: 32 - 46 mm; body length: 33 - 35 mm The Azure Damselfly is one of the commonest damselflies in Britain. The male has a characteristic flat-bottomed U-shaped mark on S2. S8 is blue and S9 has black markings like a bow tie towards the rear. The female is generally green with extensive black on the abdomen, but a blue form occurs in which the blue on the top of the abdomen extends for a third or less the length of each segment in S4-5. Both sexes have the "Coenagrion spur" on the side of the thorax. It is found throughout the British Isles, but is absent from most of Scotland. It is widespread in Europe except for SE Spain. It breeds in a wide range of standing waters, but prefers smaller and more sheltered sites than the Common Blue Damselfly. It is regularly found in garden ponds and small ditches. Eggs are laid, with the pair in tandem, into vegetation or just below the water surface. They hatch after a few weeks. Nymphs take a year to reach maturity (two in the north). The flight season is from May to August. There is usually a concentrated emergence in spring. Adults stay around the margins of bodies of water, rarely venturing out over open water like the Common Blue Damselfly. A common and widespread species (except in Scotland). Earliest UK sighting: 26th April ; Latest UK sighting: 14th September Sightings | 16-Jul-2025 | : | Mortimer, Berks | (1) | | 16-Jul-2025 | : | Greenham Common, Berks | (1) | | 08-Jul-2025 | : | Parsonage Moor, Oxon | (2) | | 27-Jun-2025 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (35+) | | 25-Jun-2025 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (20) | | 16-Jun-2025 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (20+) | | 11-Jun-2025 | : | Aston, Oxon | (1) | | 10-Jun-2025 | : | Aston, Oxon | (1) | | 02-Jun-2025 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (10) | | 16-May-2025 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (10+) | | 12-May-2025 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (85+) |
| | 04-Jul-2024 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (50+) | | 28-Jun-2024 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (50+) | | 26-Jun-2024 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (20+) | | 24-Jun-2024 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 24-Jun-2024 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (100+) | | 21-Jun-2024 | : | Parsonage Moor, Oxon | (2) | | 16-Jun-2024 | : | How Hill NNR, Norfolk | (100+) | | 13-Jun-2024 | : | Barnwell Country Park, Northants | (5) | | 09-Jun-2024 | : | Aston, Oxon | (30+) | | 02-Jun-2024 | : | Ardley Wood Quarry, Oxon | (2) | | 27-May-2024 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (10+) | | 23-May-2024 | : | Aston, Oxon | (1) | | 20-May-2024 | : | Aston, Oxon | (1) | | 17-May-2024 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (10) | | 09-May-2024 | : | Cholsey Marsh, Oxon | (1) | | 08-May-2024 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (12) |
| | 25-Jul-2023 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (1) | | 23-Jun-2023 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (2) | | 12-Jun-2023 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (7) | | 02-Jun-2023 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (100+) | | 27-May-2023 | : | Barnwell Country Park, Northants | (12) | | 26-May-2023 | : | Bucknell Wood, Northants | (1) | | 26-May-2023 | : | Barnwell Country Park, Northants | (20+) | | 20-May-2023 | : | Cholsey Marsh, Oxon | (3) | | 18-May-2023 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 16-May-2023 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (100+) |
| | 08-Jul-2022 | : | Parsonage Moor, Oxon | (6+) | | 04-Jul-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (10+) | | 01-Jul-2022 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (10) | | 23-Jun-2022 | : | Latterbarrow, Cumbria | (1) | | 20-Jun-2022 | : | Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria | | | 15-Jun-2022 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (50+) | | 13-Jun-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 10-Jun-2022 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (100+) | | 07-Jun-2022 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (50+) | | 02-Jun-2022 | : | Chimney Meadows, Oxon | (1) | | 30-May-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (200+) | | 22-May-2022 | : | Chimney Meadows, Oxon | (1) | | 21-May-2022 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (9) | | 09-May-2022 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (50+) |
| | 14-Jul-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (5) | | 05-Jul-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (4) | | 30-Jun-2021 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | (1) | | 26-Jun-2021 | : | Silchester Common, Hants | (20+) | | 25-Jun-2021 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (100+) | | 24-Jun-2021 | : | Parsonage Moor, Oxon | (1) | | 23-Jun-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (50+) | | 15-Jun-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (50+) | | 15-Jun-2021 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (50+) | | 13-Jun-2021 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (50+) | | 12-Jun-2021 | : | Bernwood Meadows, Bucks | (2) | | 10-Jun-2021 | : | Abingdon, Oxon | (1) | | 07-Jun-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 07-Jun-2021 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (20+) | | 04-Jun-2021 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (20+) |
| | 14-Sep-2020 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (1) | | 07-Jun-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (3) | | 05-Jun-2020 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | (3) | | 25-May-2020 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (40+) | | 19-May-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 17-May-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (40+) | | 15-May-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (20+) | | 14-May-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (9) | | 14-May-2020 | : | Barton Fields, Abingdon, Oxon | (10) | | 08-May-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (3) | | 02-May-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (4) | | 26-Apr-2020 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (1ten) |
| | 24-Jun-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (5) | | 18-Jun-2019 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (1) | | 18-Jun-2019 | : | Barton Fields, Abingdon, Oxon | (1) | | 16-Jun-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (4) | | 09-Jun-2019 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (4) | | 02-Jun-2019 | : | Abingdon, Oxon | (1) | | 01-Jun-2019 | : | Ardley Wood Quarry, Oxon | (2) | | 16-May-2019 | : | Abingdon, Oxon | (10+) | | 13-May-2019 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (5+) | | 11-May-2019 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (10+) | | 11-May-2019 | : | Abingdon, Oxon | (1+) |
| | 21-Jun-2018 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (10) | | 20-Jun-2018 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (250+) | | 18-Jun-2018 | : | Bernwood Forest, Bucks | (1) | | 18-Jun-2018 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (1) | | 18-Jun-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 11-Jun-2018 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | (1) | | 08-Jun-2018 | : | Barnwell Country Park, Northants | (6+) | | 06-Jun-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 06-Jun-2018 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (1) | | 18-May-2018 | : | Barton Fields, Abingdon, Oxon | (5+) | | 18-May-2018 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (10+) | | 14-May-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 13-May-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (2) | | 11-May-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (4) | | 09-May-2018 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (20+) |
| | 14-Jun-2017 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (5+) | | 06-Jun-2017 | : | Plitvicka Jezera National Park, Croatia | (10+) | | 30-May-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (250+) | | 21-May-2017 | : | Abingdon, Oxon | (10+) | | 14-May-2017 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (2+) |
| | 23-Jul-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 16-Jul-2016 | : | Silchester Common, Hants | (2m,1f) | | 26-Jun-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (20+) | | 19-Jun-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (50+) | | 07-Jun-2016 | : | Barton Fields, Abingdon, Oxon | (1+) | | 05-Jun-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 14-May-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (7+) |
| | 21-Jun-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (20+) | | 13-Jun-2015 | : | Barton Fields, Abingdon, Oxon | (2) | | 06-Jun-2015 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | (1f) | | 01-Jun-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (250+) | | 09-May-2015 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (2+) | | 27-Apr-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1 ten) |
| | 30-Jun-2014 | : | Tophill Low, E. Yorks | (1) | | 24-Jun-2014 | : | Mesta River fishponds, Bulgaria | | | 23-Jun-2014 | : | Sarnena River, Dospat, Bulgaria | | | 21-Jun-2014 | : | Zhelezhari, Bulgaria | | | 19-Jun-2014 | : | Susam Reservoir, Bulgaria | | | 31-May-2014 | : | Salden, Bucks | (1) | | 31-May-2014 | : | Wicken Wood, Bucks | (3) | | 25-May-2014 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (100+) | | 25-May-2014 | : | Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon | (1+) | | 24-May-2014 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (c10) |
| | 06-Jul-2013 | : | Decoy Heath, Berks | (1+) | | 06-Jul-2013 | : | Paices's Wood, Berks | (5+) | | 26-Jun-2013 | : | Hickling Broad, Norfolk | | | 26-Jun-2013 | : | How Hill NNR, Norfolk | | | 25-Jun-2013 | : | Catfield Fen, Norfolk | | | 25-Jun-2013 | : | Hickling Broad, Norfolk | | | 22-Jun-2013 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (200+) | | 08-Jun-2013 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | (1m) | | 25-May-2013 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (4+) | | 19-May-2013 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (4 (ten)) | | 06-May-2013 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 01-Jul-2012 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (20+) | | 24-Jun-2012 | : | Parsonage Moor, Oxon | (2m, 1f) | | 23-Jun-2012 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (10+) | | 27-May-2012 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (20+) | | 26-May-2012 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | (2) | | 13-May-2012 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (5+) |
| | 02-Jul-2011 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (3m) | | 21-May-2011 | : | Bentley Wood, Wilts | (4m) | | 02-May-2011 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (10+) |
| | 22-Aug-2010 | : | Tophill Low, E. Yorks | | | 15-Aug-2010 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | | | 19-Jul-2010 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | | | 10-Jul-2010 | : | Cothill Fen, Oxon | | | 04-Jul-2010 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | | | 01-Jul-2010 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | | | 27-Jun-2010 | : | The Brenne, Loire Valley, France | | | 26-Jun-2010 | : | The Brenne, Loire Valley, France | | | 25-Jun-2010 | : | The Brenne, Loire Valley, France | | | 24-Jun-2010 | : | The Brenne, Loire Valley, France | | | 22-Jun-2010 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | | | 21-Jun-2010 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | | | 20-Jun-2010 | : | Chimney Meadows, Oxon | | | 13-Jun-2010 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | | | 06-Jun-2010 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | | | 21-May-2010 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | |
| | 05-Jul-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | | | 13-Jun-2009 | : | Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon | | | 31-May-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | |
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