NATURE’S WAY SCARCE BLUE-TAILED

The adult male is quite easy to “recognise since from most angles it appears to have a black abdomen with one bright blue segment near the end of the tail ”

LOOK SCARCE David Chapman focuses on a beautiful yet uncommon that’s very choosy about its environment

OFTEN wonder what early Fortunately, it is indeed rare but imagine The blue-tailed damselfly is common angles it appears to have a black The ‘scarce blue-tailed damselfly’ naturalists were thinking when they the day when it becomes common – what and found across the vast majority of abdomen with one bright blue segment has a more restricted distribution. Its Inamed species. For instance, the a mess we will be in then! the British Isles. You might well find near the end of the tail. The contrast most northerly colonies are on the Isle ‘common gull’ is not at all common in In Britain, we actually have two it in your garden pond or at a local lake between this ‘blue tail’ and the rest of of Anglesey and in Northern Ireland many parts of Britain – the most species with very similar names: the or canal – it isn’t particularly fussy the abdomen couldn’t be any clearer or but it is more common in South Wales populous is in fact the herring gull. blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura about its habitat so long as there is better defined. Females, however, start and in the South West of England This month I am focusing on a species elegans) and the scarce blue-tailed water and vegetation. The adult male is adult life either pink or purple and (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire called the ‘scarce blue-tailed damselfly’. damselfly (Ischnura pumilio). quite easy to recognise since from most finish it green or black. and the Isle of White). >>

22 The Caravan Club Magazine August 2011 The Caravan Club Magazine 23 NATURE’S WAY SCARCE BLUE-TAILED DAMSELFLY

During emergence, scarce blue-tails are “pale green but they soon change significantly, females at first becoming a striking orange

Even within its chosen range, the The problem with this sort of scarce blue-tail is quite particular environment is that vegetation can” soon about its habitat. For breeding, it likes take hold and engulf it, making it shallow water with a slow flow. Shallow, unsuitable. So the scarce blue-tail often moving water warms up well in the fairs better at locations where plantlife is spring, allowing larvae to develop held back for some reason. Possible quickly, and is less prone to freezing in factors which might help this species winter. Warmer temperatures in the include disturbance by livestock or south of Britain also help to explain this vehicles or even pollution in the soil. creature’s distribution. For this reason scarce blue-tails are often associated with old mine workings. In Cornwall, where the species has one of its major strongholds, the scarce blue- have a green thorax (where the legs and WATCH OUT: MEADOWSWEET tail is at its commonest on old tin mining wings attach) and black and green sites where the soil is laced with heavy abdomen, while the males sport a black If you are looking for dragonflies metals. This pollution helps to prevent the and blue striped thorax and a black during August there is a good chance you will find some flowering growth of vegetation and encourages the abdomen with blue in the tail. meadowsweet. Also known by other damselfly to lay its eggs. These This species can easily be confused names, including Queen of the also take advantage of quarries, earth with the blue-tailed damselfly. The scarce Meadow and Meadsweet, it grows extraction sites – even wet vehicle tracks. version has a bit of blue in the segments in damp meadows, often beside During emergence, scarce blue-tailed on either side of its blue tail and a much rivers. It can grow up to 2m tall and damselflies are pale green but they soon less distinct black end to its tail. The flight is topped by frothy, creamy-white flowers which have a very change significantly, females at first season of both species peaks in July and sweet scent. becoming a striking orange colour. August, so if you want to see them now Once they reach adulthood the females is your chance! n

24 The Caravan Club Magazine