Norfolk Damselfly vs Hairy Dragonfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Norfolk Damselfly Hairy Dragonfly
Scientific Name Coenagrion armatum Brachytron pratense
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Coenagrionidae Aeshnidae
Size 28-32 mm 54-63mm
Habitat Wetlands Wetlands
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Norfolk Damselfly

A critically rare damselfly once found in the Norfolk Broads of England, now extinct in Britain. Small populations persist in Scandinavia and eastern Europe.

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Did You Know?

It went extinct in Britain in the 1950s and has not been seen there since despite extensive surveys.

Hairy Dragonfly

The earliest-emerging hawker dragonfly in Europe, with a distinctively hairy thorax. Males have blue and green markings on a dark body. It flies along ditches and reed-fringed waterways.

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Did You Know?

It emerges up to two months earlier than other hawkers, giving it exclusive access to spring insect prey.