Damselflies

Copper demoiselle

Menorca has eight species of damselflie, some spectacular like the male Copper demoiselle above or the more cryptic Winter damselfly pictured below.

Family Calopterygidae (Demoiselles)

• Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis. Copper demoiselle, Locally abundant in the right habitat by flowing water.

Winter damselfly

Family Lestidae (Emerald damselflies or spreadwings)

• Sympecma fusca, Winter damselfly. Can be found in the winter months as S. fusca overwinters as an adult.
• Lestes viridis (Chalcolestes viridis), Willow emerald damselfly. Locally abundant.
• Lestes barbarus, Southern emerald damselfly. Scarce.

Family Coenagrionidae (Blue, blue-tailed & red damselflies)

• Ischnura elegans, Blue-tailed damselfly. Common all over the island.
• Ceriagrion tenellum, Small red damselfly. Local
• Coenagrion caerulescens, Mediterranean bluet. Very rare
• Erythromma lindenii (Cercion lindenii), Blue-eye, also called the Goblet-marked Damselfly.