# Variable Bluet

*Coenagrion pulchellum*

The 'variable' in their name refers to the highly diverse black markings on their blue bodies, especially the 'wine-glass' shape on the male's second abdominal segment.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Coenagrionidae › Coenagrion
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Densely vegetated ponds, fens, peat bogs, canals, and slow-flowing ditches.
- **Diet:** Small flying insects such as midges, mosquitoes, and gnats; larvae feed on aquatic invertebrates.
- **Range:** Europe, Western Asia, Siberia
- **Size:** Wingspan of 30-40 mm, body length of 34-38 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (predominantly spent underwater as a nymph; adults live only 2 to 4 weeks)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Wetland drainage, water pollution from agricultural runoff, and loss of emergent bankside vegetation.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless to humans. They do not sting or bite. Feel free to observe them closely as they perch on vegetation; move slowly to avoid startling them into flight.

## About

The variable damselfly or variable bluet ( Coenagrion pulchellum ) is a European damselfly. Despite its name, it is not the only blue damselfly prone to variable patterning.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/9f3fc2d9-935a-4ecf-a11e-19ec49cd95d6
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/208111
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenagrion pulchellum
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/115078013/medium.jpg (odole, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.