Stewkley Wildlife Reserve
Common Blue Damsonfly
Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum
Size - 2 to 3 cm long
See them - May August.
The Common Blue Damselfly was first noticed in May 2012, after the pond had been planted and the plants were beginning to be established, which give the insect places to lay their eggs.
Above shows a male and female common blue mating, they later fly around coupled together looking for places to lay their eggs, generally on the stem of a plant just under the water.
The eggs hatch to nymphs which live in water, eating others small aquatic creatures, living there until the next year when they will climb a plant stem to emerge as next years Damselfly.