Large Red Damsel
(Pyrrhosoma nymphula)

The Large Red Damsel is one of four European species whose bodies are predominantly red. Compared to its smaller stable mate the Small Red Damsel, Pyrrhosoma nymphula is a relatively large and robust damselfly. It's widely distributed and generally quite common throughout Europe but, at least in our experience, it tends to be much more localized in the South, and it has taken us three years to find a nearby stream where Pyrrhosoma nymphula occurs in good numbers. The species' main distinguishing features include, obviously, its red-and-black thorax and abdomen (although some female colour forms combine black and yellow), its black legs, and its black pterostigma.

For an overview of the Large Red Damsel's distribution in Europe, hover your mouse pointer over the map symbol .
With the authors' permission we have based this map on data published in Kalkman et al. (2010).
Legend: Red = Occurs, White = Doesn't occur; Purple = Extinct; Yellow = Vagrant.

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