Identification
Like the other members of the Lestes genus both sexes of L. dryas have largely metallic green bodies with a bronze iridescence. They usually rest with their wings half spread. L.dryas is very similar in appearance to the Emerald Damselfly L. sponsa and care must be taken to tell the two species apart.
The male has blue eyes. Powder blue pruinescence develops on the front and end of the abdomen, the pronotum and the sides of the thorax. However all Lestes are very similar in appearance and it is the shape and colour of the anal appendage that is characteristic. The anal appendages in L. dryas and L. sponsa are black whilst in the other European Lestes they are white or light coloured. L. dryas and L. sponsa have slightly different shaped appendages as show in the photographs.
The female has a more robust abdomen than the male. She has no blue colouration on her body and has brown eyes. Females have beige underparts.
Read more about this topic: Lestes Dryas