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
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
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
- 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
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
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
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.
Nososticta solida, Orange Threadtail, male
Damselflies with red colour
- 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.
