Vivid Dancer vs Common Bluetail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Vivid Dancer Common Bluetail
Scientific Name Argia vivida Ischnura elegans
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Coenagrionidae Coenagrionidae
Size 30-38 mm 27-35 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Vivid Dancer

A brightly colored dancer damselfly of western North America with intense blue-violet markings. It thrives along desert streams and hot springs.

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Did You Know?

It breeds in thermal springs where water temperatures would be lethal to most other damselflies.

Common Bluetail

A small damselfly with a distinctive blue tail-light on segment eight of the abdomen. Females occur in multiple color forms including violet, green, and brown.

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Did You Know?

Females exist in at least five distinct color forms, a level of polymorphism rare among damselflies.