Male. Taken at Catfield Fen, Norfolk, on June 15th 2024. (© David Hastings)
(1/800th sec at f8. Click image for larger version)
Male. Taken at How Hill, Norfolk, on June 16th 2024. (© David Hastings)
(1/800th sec at f14. Click image for larger version)
Female (blue form). Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on May 14th 2020. (© David Hastings)
(1/640th sec at f11. Click image for larger version)
Female (dark form). Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on May 16th 2019. (© David Hastings)
(1/800th sec at f14. Click image for larger version)
Mating pair. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on May 25th 2020. (© David Hastings)
(1/400th sec at f13. Click image for larger version)

Description

Wingspan: 32 - 46mm; Length: 33 - 38mm

The male Variable Damselfly usually has broken antehumeral stripes (sometimes they are missing entirely), a thick black wine goblet shape on S2, and S9 is more than half black. Females occur in two colour forms, dark and blue.

It has a patchy distribution in Britain, being mainly found in Somerset, Sussex, Kent, the Norfolk Broads, the Fens, Anglesey and south Galloway. It is widely distributed in Ireland.

This species needs well-vegetated grazing-marsh ditches, fens, ponds, lakes and canals.

Eggs are laid into the stems and leaves of aquatic plants. They hatch after a month, and the nymphs probably take a year to mature.

Most aspects of behaviour are similar to the Azure Damselfly. Adults are often found in lush vegetation away from the water's edge.

This is a Red data list species in Britain.

Earliest UK sighting: 14th May ; Latest UK sighting: 25th June

Sightings