Small Red Damselfly vs Desert Firetail Damselfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small Red Damselfly Desert Firetail Damselfly
Scientific Name Ceriagrion tenellum Telebasis salva
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Coenagrionidae Coenagrionidae
Size 25-35mm 25-32 mm
Habitat Underground Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions Europe, Africa North America
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Small Red Damselfly

A delicate damselfly where males are almost entirely red, a rare color for damselflies. Females come in several color forms. It is a weak flier that stays close to waterside vegetation.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the only genuinely red damselflies in Europe, with males displaying a vivid scarlet color.

Desert Firetail Damselfly

A bright red damselfly found at ponds and streams in the arid American Southwest. Males are vivid crimson while females are duller brown.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most heat-tolerant damselflies, actively flying in temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius.