Small Amber Spinner vs Azure Damselfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small Amber Spinner Azure Damselfly
Scientific Name Caenis macrura Coenagrion puella
Order Ephemeroptera Odonata
Family Caenidae Coenagrionidae
Size 3-5 mm 33-36 mm wingspan
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Small Amber Spinner

A tiny mayfly whose amber-colored spinners fall to the water in dense clouds. Nymphs live among fine sediments in slow-flowing water.

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Did You Know?

Spinner falls can be so dense they coat the water surface like a film, triggering frenzied fish feeding.

Azure Damselfly

A delicate bright blue and black damselfly and one of the most abundant damselfly species in Europe. Males display a U-shaped mark on the second abdominal segment.

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Did You Know?

Mating pairs fly in tandem with the male gripping the female behind the head, forming a distinctive heart-shaped wheel during copulation.