Males are blue with black at the end of the segments. In segment 2 usually black U-shaped drawing. The females are usually green to blue with a dark back of the abdomen. 
Flying time: May - August. Length 33 - 35 mm. Europe. 
The eggs are deposited in the vegetation. The nymphs are staying for a year in the pond. German: Hufeisen-Azurjungfer  French: Agrion jouvencelle.
         

Segment eight is entirely pale blue. are very variable in colouration.
They tolerate also unclear water. The pair separate before the female goes off to lay her eggs in surface vegetation. The female lives only 11 days.
The nymphs stay one year in the pond. Sometimes they emerge as adults after three months. Than there is a second generation in one year.
Flying time: May - September.  Common and widespread throughout Europe. Not in Spain.

  Young adult Blue-tailed damselfly form rufescens. German: Große Pechlibelle  French: Agrion élégant.
         

The large red damselfly is very early.
Red abdomen. The males have black spots on the last segment. Along the abdomen yellow shoulder stripe, which later changes in colour to red. Black legs. To complicate there are several colour forms: fulvipes, typica, melanotum.
Flying time: April to July. Length 33 to 36 mm. Europe. Photos 20-6-2012, 29-6-2012.

   Mating takes place in marginal vegetation and the pair lays their eggs in tandem on submerged vegetation.
The nymphs are staying 2 to 3 years in the pond.  German: Frühe Adonislibelle, Frühe Adonisjungfer  French: Petite nymphe au corps de feu.
        

This is also a damselfly. In September 2008 for the first time in the garden. The Winter Damsel is the only damselfly, which overwinters as an adult. That's why it flies early in spring.
Length: 3cm. Light brown with dark brown to bronze coloured spots on the top.
In rest  they hold their wings not half open like other damselflies, but they fold them together along one side of their abdomen
Two flying times: April - May and August - September.
The only other Winter Damsel in the Netherlands is the rare Siberian Winter damselfly (Sympecma paedisca).
Biotope: Shallow, nutrient-poor ponds in wooded area with sandy soil. German: Gemeine Winterlibelle  French: Brunette hivernalePhotos 16-8-2012, 17-8-2012.  
       

Family Gomphidae. Family Cordulegastridae. Family Aeshnidae with species like Emperor Dragonfly and Southern Hawker, Blue Hawker. Family Corduliidae. Family Libellulidae with species like the Black-tailed Skimmer and the Common Darter.           

The left photo has been taken mid- June at 8 o'clock  at night. We had almost overlooked him, because a minute later it flew away. Some days later my woman has taken photos of an other metamorphose. When I came home, it was almost finished.

Nymph  28-7-'11 German: Blaugrüne Mosaikjungfer  French: Æschne bleue.
            

Phhoto 3-6-2007. Females lay their eggs alone favouring the leaves and flowers stalks of Water soldier (also on this photo) The larvae probably take 2 years to develop. It requires clean water.
They are found in peat bog area, but also in the dunes. (in our neighbourhood)
It has a yellow triangular mark on the second abdominal segment and it has green eyes. The male and female are similar.
Flying time: May to August. It is not a very common species in the Netherlands.  Photo 31-5-2014, 29-6-2015. Not until seven years later I saw another Norfolk Hawker in the garden. German: Keilfleck-Mosaikjungfer, Keilflecklibelle.   
            

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It often hunts for flies on animals such as horses. It seems therefore that it bites these animals. Hence the Dutch name "Paardenbijter" "Horse biter". It is smaller than the other Hawkers.
The eggs are deposited in living and dead plants
Europe, North Africa, Asia. Length 56 -64 mm. July - November. Photos 31-7-2010, 3-8-2012, 12-9-2012. 2012: Both on the same place. German: Herbst-Mosaikjungfer  French: L'æschne mixte.  
              

The males are mainly black with blue. The female black with yellow. On the side of the thorax are green or yellow bands.
The abdomen and thorax are downy hairs. Hence its name. Segment three is not constricted. Segment one has in the middle a round spot.
April - Late June. The larvae overwinter two to three times.
Length 5,5 - 6,3 cm. Wingspan 7 - 8 mm. Photos 3-5-2011  German: Frühe Schilfjäger.            

The lens of my camera is in repair. Now I shoot with my old camera. Which does not like the low sun. Hence the glare. But this is the first time I see the four-spotted chaser in the garden. 
It has a distinct black spot in the top center of the wing. At the rear wing you'll see a dark spot. Above this spot a brownish orange spot. (also on the upperwings) It has an orange body with a black tip. The yellow spots on the side are unfortunately not to see because of the glare.
Larvae overwinter one to three times. The metamorphosis is from end April to mid July. End April - begin September. Length 40 - 48 mm. Europe, North-America.
Photo 2-5-2011. Photos 5-6-2013 Two photos taken in the dunes. German: Vierfleck  French: libellule à quatre taches. 
  

  Male 29-6-2016.  German: Große Blaupfeil.  French: Orthétrum réticulé, Orthetrum bleuissant.   
            

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The legs are black. The side of the thorax and the lower part of the abdomen is strongly marked  in black. 
Males are becoming blacker when they get older. Young males and females are more yellow.
Length 29 to 34 mm.
From May to October.
The eggs are deposited in tandem. At the end often by the female alone. Black Darter overwinters as an egg. In the spring, the eggs hatch in May and the dragonflies appear in May - July. 
Northern Europe, Asia, and North America. Photos 11-9-2012. German: Schwarze Heidelibelle. French: Sympetrum danae, Sympétrum noir.  
         

The males are blood-red. The females yellow.De mannetjes zijn dieprood van kleur. A difference with the other darters is the all-black legs of the Ruddy Darter.
The larva live  in the water for a year.
Length 34 - 36 mm.  Erope. Not in the south of Spain, Italy. In parts of Africa. July -  October. Photos 26-6-2012. German: Blutrote Heidelibelle. French: Sympétrum rouge sang. 
          

 

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum). Family Libellulidae.

The legs are black with yellow stripes along their length. A black line between the eyes, but not along the eye rims. So no " black mustache" like the Vagrant Darter. There may be a little black, which in combination with shadow can make it difficult to see the difference between the two species.
Young males and females have a yellow abdomen. Older males have a red abdomen. The older females will be brown.
Length 35 to 44 mm. May to November.
The eggs are deposited in tandem. The Common Darter overwinters as an egg. In the spring, the eggs hatch and the dragonflies appear in May - September.
Europe, North Africa, Klein and West Asia. Photos 3-8-2012, 10-9-2012. German: Große Heidelibelle.  French: Sympétrum strié.

  No black mustache.  

More information on the site (It's a Dutch site. But the photos explain much, I think):  http://www.at-a-lanta.nl/weia/LibellenStriVulg.html
          

 

Vagrant Darter (Sympetrum vulgatum). Family Libellulidae. 

The legs are black with yellow stripes along their length. A black line between the eyes and along the eye rims. It looks like  "a black mustache" . The Common Darter don't have a mustache.
Young males and females have a yellow abdomen. Older males have a red abdomen. The older females will be brown.
Length 35 - 40 mm. June - November.
The eggs are deposited in tandem. The Common Darter overwinters as an egg. In the spring, the eggs hatch and the dragonflies appear in June - September.
Photos 3-8-2012. German: Gemeine Heidelibelle.  French: Sympétrum commun.

  A black mustache.                

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