Bedfordshire Odonata - White-legged Damselfly

White-legged Damselfly – Platycnemis pennipes

European common name: Blue Featherleg

BDS pronunciation: plat-ick-nem-mis pen-nip-ays

The White-legged Damselfly – Platycnemis pennipes, is a common sight and easy to identify with its distinctive white legs.

Classification:

Odonata
	Zygoptera		Damselflies
		Platycnemididae	White-legged Damselflies

Large, pale blue damselfly, the male’s distinctive broad white legs makes this damselfly easy to identify even from a distance.

Much paler than other damselflies, and black markings on the upper surface of the abdomen are thin, or divided in two, adding to the pale appearance.

The female is a pale green-yellow in appearance, and may occur in a separate colour form called lactea, with minimal black markings on segments 2, 3, and 4.

Males will sometimes fly with their legs hanging as if in display (most Odonata retract their legs for aerodynamic advantage during flight).

Overall length: 35 – 37 mm
Wings: 19 – 23 mm

The White-legged Damselfly is generally paler than other damselflies and the male’s white ‘feathered’ legs are very noticeable even at a distance. Markings on the dorsal surface of the abdomen are much less extensive than other blue damselflies and are separated on either side of the medial line, the shoulder stripes are thin.

Azure Damselfly – Coenagrion puella
The male Azure is much more intensely blue, has a characteristic ‘U’ marking on segment two of the abdomen. Female Azures are either blue and green and also more colourful but have darker and more extensive abdominal markings.

Common Blue Damselfly – Enallagma cyathigerum
More intense colouring than the White-legged, both for the male and all colour forms of the female. The male has the ‘Mushroom’ or ‘lollipop’ shaped marking on segment 2 of the abdomen. Female abdominal markings more extensive and darker in appearance.

Red-eyed Damselfly – Erythromma najas
Larger, and with obviously red eyes. Dorsal surface of abdomen mostly black.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly – Erythromma viridulum
Larger, and with obviously red eyes. Dorsal surface of abdomen mostly black.

Blue-tailed Damselfly – Ischnura elegans
Darker dorsal surface of the abdomen, except for a prominent blue ‘tail-light’ (other colours in some female colour forms).

Prefers slow rivers with plenty of bank side vegetation, but also at still water sites, uses floating vegetation for ovipositing.

Common along the River Great Ouse, River Flit and River Ivel. I often see them on riverside walks between Kempston and Bromham. Also present at Felmersham NR, Bromham Lake NR, Priory CP, Sandhouse Lane NR.

Visible from late May to late August, peaking in June and July.