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Damselflies Field Guide

of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

This page is the Quick Field Guide of Damselflies in Brisbane. This includes most of the common species found in Brisbane and South East Queensland. For the complete list you should check the reference books listed at the end of this page. For Quick Field Guide of Dragonflies in Brisbane please click here.

Damselflies with blue or dark blue colour 

Diphlebia coerulescens - Sapphire Rockmaster, male
Male and female : About the same
Body length : 50mm
Habits : Perch on rocks and plants along the steam
Habitat : Mountain steams
Status : Local and limited 
We found them at : Northbrook Creek near Lake Wivenhoe
 
 
wpe15.jpg (19871 bytes)Austrolestes leda - Wandering Ringtail, male
Male and female : Female pale brown, immature male pale brown
Body length : 40mm
Habits : Perch on twigs
Habitat : Wide range of still and running waters
Status : Fairly common 
We found them at : White Hill, Karawatha Forest
 
 
Coasta10.jpg (22695 bytes)Griseargiolestes albescens, Coastal Flatwings, female
Male and female : About the same
Body length : 37mm
Habits : Rest on the low plants with wing flat open
Habitat : Boggy seepage
Status : Locally common
We found them at : Yugarapul Park
 
 
Austroargiolestes icteromelas, Common Flatwing, female
Male and female : About the same
Body length : 43mm
Habits : Rest with wing flat open
Habitat : Creeks with thick vegetations
Status : Very common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart
 
 
Pseudagrion aureofrons, Gold-fronted Riverdamsel, male
Male and female : Female pale green, about the same size
Body length : 36mm
Habits : Fly very close on the water surface
Habitat : Slow flowing creek with good water quality
Status : Fairly common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart 
 
 
Pseudagrion microcephalum, Blue Riverdamsel, male
Male and female : Female pale brown, about the same size
Body length : 38mm
Habits : Rest on reeds near water edges
Habitat : Running and still waters
Status : Common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek, ponds in Eight Mile Plains
 
 
Pseudagrion ignifer, Flame-head Riverdamsel, male
Male and female : Female dull grey, about the same size
Body length : 46mm
Habits : Rest in semi-shaded area next to running water
Habitat : Creeks with good water quality 
Status : Not common 
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart
 
 
Austroagrion watsoni, Eastern Billabongfly, male
Male and female : Female pale blue to grayish-green, about the same size
Body length : 25mm
Habits : Perch on plants next to water edges
Habitat : Slow running and still waters
Status : Common
We found them at : Mt Coot-tha Botanic Garden, Bulimba Creek
 
 
Ischnura heterosticia, Common Bluetail, male
Male and female : Female pale blue to grayish-green, about the same size
Body length : 34mm
Habits : Rest on the plants in the middle of ponds or water edges
Habitat : Slow-running and still waters
Status : Very common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart
 

Damselflies with pale orange, pale brown or grey 

Austrolestes leda - Wandering Ringtail, female
Male and female : Male blue colour, about the same size
Body length : 35mm
Habits : Perch on twigs
Habitat : Wide range of still and running waters
Status : Fairy common 
We found them at : White Hill, Karawatha Forest
 
 
Nososticta solida, Orange Threadtail, male
Male and female : About the same
Body length : 35mm
Habits : Rest in group on the plants at water edges
Habitat : Creeks with good water quality
Status : Common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart
 
 
wpeB.jpg (18382 bytes)Pseudagrion microcephalum, Blue Riverdamsel, female
Male and female : Male blue colour, about the same size
Body length : 38mm
Habits : Rest on reeds near water edges
Habitat : Running and still waters
Status : Common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek, ponds in Eight Mile Plains
 
 
Pseudagrion ignifer, Flame-headed Riverdamsel, female
Male and female : Male blue with yellow head, same size
Body length : 46mm
Habits : Rest in semi-shaded area next to running water
Habitat : Creeks with good water quality 
Status : Not common 
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart 
 
 
Ischnura heterosticia, Common Bluetail, female
Male and female : Male blue colour, about the same size
Body length : 34mm
Habits : Rest on the plants in the middle of ponds or water edges
Habitat : Slow-running and still waters
Status : Very common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains and Wishart
 
 
SmallR7.jpg (34157 bytes)Agriocnemis pygmaea, Pygmy Wisp, female 
Male and female : Male slightly smaller, black and green with orange-red tail
Body length : 25mm
Habits : Hide at low positions near the water edge
Habitat : Running and still waters with thick vegetations
Status : Not common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains
 
 

Damselflies with red colour 

Ceriagrion aeruginosum, Redtail, male
Male and female : Female dull greenish grey, slightly larger
Body length : 40mm
Habits : Hide in thick vegetations near waters
Habitat : Slowing running creeks and ponds
Status : Not common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Yugarapul Park, Moolabin Creek in Moorooka. 
 
 
Xanthagrion erythroneurum, Red and Blue Damselfly
Male and female : Female and male look the same
Body length : 40mm
Habits : Mostly skimming
Habitat : Large still waters
Status : Locally common
We found them at : Minnippi Park, Tingalpa
 
 
Ischnura aurora, Aurora Bluetail, male
Male and female : Female dull green colour, about the same size
Body length : 23mm
Habits : Hiding among thick vegetations along creek 
Habitat : Running and still waters
Status : Fairy common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek
 
 
Argiocnemis rubescens, Red-tipped Shadefly, male
Male and female : Female reddish brown, about the same size
Body length : 35mm
Habits : Rest on grasses above water
Habitat : Slow running waters
Status : Not common
We found them at : A small creek in Karawatha Forest
 
 
Agriocnemis pygmaea, Pygmy Wisp, male 
Male and female : Female slightly larger, reddish brown
Body length : 20mm
Habits : Hide at low positions near the water edge
Habitat : Running and still waters with thick vegetations
Status : Not common
We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Eight Mile Plains
 
 
Agriocnemis rubricauda, Red-rumped Wisp, male 
Male and female : Female not known
Body length : 30mm
Habits : Active in the evening
Habitat : Boggy seepage
Status : Rare
We found them at : Yugarapul Park
                         

 
We also have the Quick Field Guide of Dragonflies in Brisbane, please click here.

Reference:
1. A Field Guide to Dragonflies of South East Queensland - Ric Nattrass, 2006.
2. The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia - CSIRO, Günther Theischinger and John Hawking, 2006. 

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Last updated: February 25, 2008.