Male. Taken at Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon., on May 27th 2016.
(1/125th sec at f14. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Male. Taken at Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon., on May 18th 2018.
(1/400th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Female of form fulvipes. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on May 2nd 2020.
(1/320th sec at f14. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Female of form typica. Taken at Tregaron Bog, Ceredigion, on May 5th 2014.
(1/160th sec at f7.1. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Pair in cop. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on June 5th 2016.
(1/800th sec at f14. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

Wingspan: 38 - 48 mm; Body length: 33 - 36 mm

The Large Red Damselfly is often the first damselfly to emerge in the spring. Males have a mostly red body, but the eighth segment is dark and there are two dark bands on the tail. It also has two red antehumeral stripes on the thorax. Teneral males have yellow antehumeral stripes, which change to red when fully mature. Females occur in three colour forms, but all have yellow bands around the abdominal segments. They have red (sometimes yellow) antehumeral stripes. Both sexes have black legs and red eyes.

It can be found throughout the British Isles.

Large Red Damselflies can be found in most wetland habitats, from acidic moorland bog pools to brackish ditches, but they avoid fast-flowing waters.

Eggs are laid in batches of about 350 on submerged vegetation. Larvae live among bottom vegetation and debris, and are unusually territorial. They develop over 1-3, but usually 2 years, and many emerge synchronously on spring mornings. Males emerge slightly earlier and in larger numbers than females, maturing in 12 days (four days earlier than females). The main flight period is May to July.

Males defend their territories vigourously.

A common and widespread species.

Sightings

16-Jun-2023	:	Whelford Pools, Glos	(1)
16-May-2023	:	Rodborough Common, Glos	(1)
16-May-2023	:	Whelford Pools, Glos	(1)
14-May-2023	:	Aston, Oxon	(1m)
04-May-2023	:	Cors y Llyn NNR, Powys	(3)
01-Jul-2022	:	Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon	(1)
21-Jun-2022	:	Wasdale, Cumbria	(2)
20-Jun-2022	:	Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria	(6)
17-Jun-2022	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(3)
13-Jun-2022	:	Otmoor, Oxon	(2)
07-Jun-2022	:	Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon	(5)
19-May-2022	:	Aston, Oxon	(3)
14-May-2022	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(3m,1f)
14-May-2022	:	Aston, Oxon	(1m)
04-May-2022	:	Cors y Llyn NNR, Powys	(7+)
30-Apr-2022	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(3m,1f,2ten)
05-Jul-2021	:	Bernwood Forest, Bucks	(1)
30-Jun-2021	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(2)
15-Jun-2021	:	Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon	(5)
14-Jun-2021	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(3m)
07-Jun-2021	:	Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon	(3)
07-Jun-2021	:	Otmoor, Oxon	(2)
05-Jun-2021	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(10)
07-May-2021	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(1tenm)
27-May-2020	:	Otmoor, Oxon	(3)
25-May-2020	:	Radley Lakes, Oxon	(2)
19-May-2020	:	Otmoor, Oxon	(3)
15-May-2020	:	Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon	(2)
14-May-2020	:	Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon	(1)
09-May-2020	:	Cholsey Marsh, Oxon	(1)
05-May-2020	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(7m,2f)
02-May-2020	:	Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon	(4)
26-Apr-2020	:	Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon	(1m)
22-Apr-2020	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(5m,2f)
20-Apr-2020	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(1m,1ten)
13-May-2019	:	Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon	(3)
11-May-2019	:	Abingdon, Oxon	(1)
01-May-2019	:	Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon	(3)
30-Apr-2019	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(2)
30-Apr-2019	:	Abingdon, Oxon	(1)
12-Jul-2018	:	Parsonage Moor, Oxon	(2)
28-Jun-2018	:	Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria	(8)
25-Jun-2018	:	Eskdale, Cumbria	(6)
24-Jun-2018	:	Wasdale, Cumbria	(1)
23-Jun-2018	:	Meathop Moss, Cumbria	(15+)
18-Jun-2018	:	Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon	(2)
18-Jun-2018	:	Otmoor, Oxon	(1)
15-Jun-2018	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(4)
11-Jun-2018	:	Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon	(2)
06-Jun-2018	:	Otmoor, Oxon	(8m)