This is one of the few British damselflies that is restricted to running water, being found only in streams and rivers, with sand or gravel bottom. These beauties were captured along the river Lyner, a couple of miles outside Callington, Cornwall.

Pic 1: This specimen has the unmistakable male characteristics,  having a metallic blue-green body with broad, dark blue wings, iridescent wing-veins and black eyes. The juvenile, in contrast, has brown eyes and brown wings while the female has also brownish wings, each with a white spot. Like all damselflies, it likes to sit on sunny perches and can be very wary so I was very careful approaching it. I hardly had time to focus before it flew off! Living up to its common name there can be no denying that this is one hell of a beautiful damselfly! It presents a dazzling spectacle that greatly enhances the rivers and streams it inhabits.

Pics 2 & 3: Males are very territorial, perching on bank-side vegetation and trees. They habitually open their wings when perched and dash off to chase passing insects, often returning to the same perch.

Pics 4 & 5: Perching high up on an Oak leaf this damselfly has an excellent vantage point whereby he can dash off to chase passing insects. I noticed that the damselflies would often return to the same oak leaf.  Oak trees attract and provide a home to a wonderful diversity of insect life and the damselflies appear to capitalize on this.