Bright sky blue is a popular colour amongst 'odonata'. In damselflies we see the blue in the common blue damselfly, the azure damselfly, and three or four other less common species and in dragonflies there is the mighty emperor of course as well as keeled and black tailed skimmers and this beauty, the impressive male broad-bodied chaser.
If you see a dragonfly that is bright blue it is always worth a closer look just to make sure you do not jump to conclusions, the broad-bodied chaser is quite common and is one of the most likely blue dragons you will see. Other blue species tend to have specific habitat requirements.
Very different in colouring to the female which is olive green, the broad-bodied chaser is best identified through its ... broad body! The skimmers are much more pointed towards the tail and the emperor is longer and even width along its long body.
This chap is fiercely territorial and it will often take over a small pond and defend it against all comers, apart from attractive olive green females of its own kind of course who are very welcome and greeted by being ceased and mated with in mid air!
Comments
Post a Comment