The Blue-tailed damselfly occurs in most of the UK and, unlike most other damselflies, will tolerate polluted or brakish waters.
The blue male, shown above coupled with the brown female has blue eyes, a blue or turquoise and black thorax and a mainly black topside abdomen
with a bright blue segment near the end (not as far down as the related Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly).
The female has several colour forms for the thorax and the "tail" segment in the immature phase. On maturity the "typica" form is blue
like the male and the "infuscans" form (above centre) has an olive green thorax and brown tail spot; there is also an "infuscans-obseleta"
form (above right) which has a light brown thorax and tail spot.
Blue adult male
More green forms with blue tail spot
Orange/pink forms with blue tail spot ("rufescens")