Family Coenagrionidae (Pond Damsels)

Small damselflies that normally perch with wings closed above the abdomen. Most males are blue marked with black, but the main colour may be green, yellow, orange, red or purple. Females often have two colour forms per species, one similar to the male (usually blue). Females lay eggs in the tissues of water plants, sometimes completely submerging themselves for a long time while laying. Larvae are not as long as spreadwing larvae and have short labia, unstalked at the base. There are five genera and 14 species of pond damsels in northern BC, and one additional species, Enallagma civile, may occur in the extreme south of the study area. The American Bluets (Enallagma) and European Bluets (Coenagrion) are the most common groups in the study area. Ischnura is uncommon in northern BC, but abundant in the South. BC's two species of Argia are absent north of 52ºN.

Amphiagrion (Red Damsels)

Coenagrion (Eurasian Bluets)

Enallagma (American Bluets)

Ischnura (Forktails)

Nehalennia (Sprites)