Jim Almond has sent in some photos of ‘the blues’ illustrating some of the differences between them. Variable Damselfly (male left, female below left) is a rare find in Shropshire and the male in this photo is showing really clear exclamation marks on top of the thorax. As the name suggests, these markings aren’t always present and reliable so it’s always nice to see a textbook specimen! You can also contrast these marks with the solid antehumeral stripes seen in Blue-tailed Damselfly (below right) and Azure Damselfly (male far below left, female far below right). The male and the female Variable also have a narrow line between the eyespots – something you don’t see in Blue-tailed or Azure Damselfly.
