In Europe we have quite some damselfly species from the genus Coenagrion, and these are surely the last kind of dragonflies (odonata) that I've learned to ID with confidence. They all look the same, if you don't know what to look for.
Well I've found out now that it's not only us human having problems seperating the species, the male damselflies may mess things up too.
First picture is a male Coenagrion pulchellum (Variable Bluet) trying to mate a C. puelle (Azure Bluet). He really did not have any luck, while trying to grab the females prothorax to form a tandem. His appendages don't really match the shape of the females prothorax.
25. June 2006
Now I was lucky to find a brother of the male above in Sweden, and he was just as confused, trying to grab a female C. hastulatum (Spearhead Bluet). That wasn't taken very kindly by the female, which refused and flew away. I was able to track her and make some photos for secure ID.
2. June 2007
Now the third C. pulchellum (Variale Bluet) below is more clever. He's grabbed a female of the right species, but she wasn't really up for that kind of stuff, and managed to free herself from the males grip, after they sat more or less still as seen in the photo. That is the strangets angle I've seen a tandem perched in.
18. June 2007
Hope you enjoy...
Erland
