Both male and female azure damselflies measure 33mm long; however, the females have more black segments and are more of a flossy green color rather than the male’s blue coloring.

Adult male azure damselflies have specific patterns of azure blue and black patterns down its body that identify its species, specifically the U-shaped black band on the second segment.

Both dragonflies and damselflies are in the same subspecies and found in the same habitats but there are many marked differences such as in the eyes and wings. A dragonfly’s eyes are huge and take up most of its head while a damselfly’s are smaller and always have a space between them. Dragonflies have wings that are uneven and stick out like airplane wings. In contrast, damselflies have slender, even wings that come together at the body.

The azure damselfly is found throughout Europe mostly in England, Wales, and southern Scotland. A similar-looking species, the Cretan bluet, resides in northern Scotland. These damselflies are usually found near any body of water, most likely ponds and lakesides in the summer.

Azure damselflies are insectivores eating any insect that is smaller than themselves such as flies or mosquitoes. They cannot fly as fast as dragonflies, so damselflies will either perch and wait for prey or hover above grasses and pick prey off primarily using their sense of sight. Due to their insect predator diet, gardeners consider azure damselflies very beneficial and will make favorable habitats near their gardens.

Adult male azure damselflies are more territorial during the mating season, often chasing rivals away from females. Damselflies go through different positions to complete the mating cycle successfully including the “wheel” and “egg laying” position. Once connected, the pair will fly together and join other pairs to intimidate predators as a group. Eggs are laid in aquatic plants on the water’s surface and hatch into green nymphs.