This large damselfly is up to 50 mm long and one of the most beautiful flying insects in Central Europe. With its metallic coloring it sparkles in bright sunlight. It lives on small, fast flowing rivers.
Males have metallic blue bodies and blue wings. Females have metallic green-bronze bodies and beautifully translucent brown wings. They also have a tiny white spot, called pseudo-pterostigma, towards the tip of each wing [see today’s photograph] which males lack.
Territorial males perch on bankside vegetation. They will flick their wings open and shut, occasionally chasing off passing insects. They often return to same perch. Females only visit water for mating and egg-laying.