List of Odonata species of Ireland

Dragonfly (top) and damselfly (bottom) wing shape and venation. Damselflies are also distinguished by the gap between their eyes, and the fact that they hold their wings folded back over the abdomen while at rest.

The following is a list of Odonata species recorded in Ireland. Common names are those given in the standard literature; where a different name has been given in The Natural History of Ireland's Dragonflies, this is given in brackets.^[1] Most of these species are resident, others are vagrants and some have not been recorded since the nineteenth century.^[2]

Suborder Zygoptera (damselflies)

Two banded demoiselles (*Calopteryx splendens*) mating.

Family Calopterygidae (demoiselles)

Banded demoiselle (banded jewelwing) – Calopteryx splendens
Beautiful demoiselle – Calopteryx virgo

Family Lestidae (emerald damselflies)

Scarce emerald damselfly (turlough spreadwing) – Lestes dryas
Emerald damselfly (common spreadwing) – Lestes sponsa

Family Coenagrionidae (blue, blue-tailed, and red damselflies)

The Irish damselfly (*Coenagrion lunulatum*) is found in Ireland but not in Great Britain.

Irish damselfly (Irish bluet) – Coenagrion lunulatum. The common name comes from the fact that it is found in Ireland but not in Britain.
Azure damselfly (azure bluet) – Coenagrion puella
Variable damselfly (variable bluet) – Coenagrion pulchellum
Common blue damselfly (common bluet) – Enallagma cyathigerum
Blue-tailed damselfly (common bluetip) – Ischnura elegans
Scarce blue-tailed damselfly (small bluetip) – Ischnura pumilio
Large red damselfly (spring redtail) – Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies)

Family Gomphidae (club-tailed dragonflies)

Common clubtail (club-tailed dragonfly) – Gomphus vulgatissimus. No modern records.

Family Aeshnidae (hawkers and emperors)

Southern hawker – Aeshna cyanea. Vagrant.
Brown hawker (amber-winged hawker) – Aeshna grandis
Common hawker (moorland hawker) – Aeshna juncea
Migrant hawker (autumn hawker) – Aeshna mixta. Recent colonist.
Emperor (blue emperor) – Anax imperator. Recent colonist.
Lesser emperor (yellow-ringed emperor) – Anax parthenope. Vagrant.
Hairy dragonfly (spring hawker) – Aeshna grandis
Vagrant emperor – Hemianax ephippiger. Vagrant.

Family Corduliidae (emerald dragonflies)

Downy emerald – Cordulia aenea
Northern emerald (moorland emerald) – Somatochlora arctica

Family Libellulidae (chasers, skimmers, and darters)

A female keeled skimmer (*Orthetrum coerulescens*). This species is common in wetlands, especially in Counties Galway, Kerry and Louth.

Broad-bodied chaser – Libellula depressa. No modern records.
Scarce chaser – Libellula fulva. No modern records.
Four-spotted chaser – Libellula quadrimaculata
Black-tailed skimmer – Orthetrum cancellatum
Keeled skimmer (heathland skimmer) – Orthetrum coerulescens
Black darter – Sympetrum danae
Yellow-winged darter – Sympetrum flaveolum. Vagrant.
Red-veined darter – Sympetrum fonscolombii. Status unknown.
Ruddy darter – Sympetrum sanguineum
Common darter – Sympetrum striolatum

Discounted records

The following species have been included in previous lists of Irish dragonflies, but are no longer regarded as having been reliably recorded:

References

^ Brian Nelson, Robert Thompson (2004). The Natural History of Ireland's Dragonflies. Ulster Museum. ISBN 978-0-900761-45-4.
^ "Species list for Odonata". www.habitas.org.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2021.

External links

Dragonfly Ireland

[1] Brian Nelson, Robert Thompson (2004). The Natural History of Ireland's Dragonflies. Ulster Museum. ISBN 978-0-900761-45-4.

[habitas-2] "Species list for Odonata". www.habitas.org.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2021.

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