Quick flyer

The Common Bluetail is a very common Damselfly found everywhere all year round. Can be told apart from the Blue Riverdamsel which has overall more blue on the head and thorax where the Common Bluetail has more black, with small blue dots on the back of the head on the eye area (postocular spots). Blue Riverdamsel has a band of blue in the same area. Male Common Bluetail have a conspicuous blue tail light. Females are dullish blue grey, lacking blue tail light, although sometimes females mimic the male colouration. The somewhat similar Eastern Billabongfly is smaller in size. When Common Bluetail Damselflies are at rest, they hold their wings together, lengthways over their thorax. Quick flyer, usually found around the edges of waterbodies or on bank vegetation. Males have a habit of bouncing over the water above floating vegetation.

This specimen photographed at Walton Bridge Reserve Saturday, 22 December 2007. You can just discern the blue tail light in the bottom right-hand corner of the photograph. Photo: Robert Whyte

Head close-up. Photo: Robert Whyte

The face is relatively paler, greenish blue with a greenish tinge to the eyes. Photo: Robert Whyte

These bright blue dots in the black head are characteristic of the Common Bluetail. Photo: Robert Whyte