Dainty Damselfly

Dainty Damselfly

Coenagrion scitulum

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Vienna

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

5 Verified sightings at Vienna
25 In all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Dainty Damselfly

The dainty damselfly (Coenagrion scitulum), also known as the dainty bluet, is a blue damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. This is a scarce species found mainly in southern Europe, northern Africa, southwest Asia, and Central America. C. scitulum are Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies) predators that can reach a length of 30–33 mm at maturity and have hind-wing lengths of 15–20 mm. The males and females do exhibit differing features through their colouration making them easily distinguishable. As shown in the photo to the left, segment eight is blue in colour followed by black markings on segment nine, whereas the females are mostly black near the rear with smaller blue markings. Although they are relatively simple to sex, they are easily confused with the common blue damselfly.

C. scitulum are found in large and generally stagnant, ponds with abundant vegetation including water-milfoil and hornwort, they can also be found in flooded ditches. It has also been discovered that constructed wetlands are an important habitat and sanctuary for C. scitulum. This is because these areas lack fish that prey on insects giving the dainty damselfly a safe habitat to live and reproduce... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
2 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
3 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Budapest 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
2 Brussels 🇧🇪 Belgium
~10%
3 Paris 🇫🇷 France
<5%
4 Vienna 🇦🇹 Austria
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Dainty Damselfly in Vienna?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Dainty Damselfly sighting in Vienna on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1286th most-seen of the 1406 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Dainty Damselfly in Vienna?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Dainty Damselfly in Vienna on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Dainty Damselfly?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Dainty Damselfly sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Vienna the best place to see a Dainty Damselfly?

4th of 4

Of the 4 cities where we can rate Dainty Damselfly sightings, Vienna ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Budapest (Hungary, about 10%), Brussels (Belgium, about 10%) and Paris (France, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Dainty Damselfly live in Vienna?

Same genus: Coenagrion

The closest relatives of the Dainty Damselfly that you can see in Vienna (genus Coenagrion, Northern Bluets) are Azure Damselfly (about 10%) and Variable Bluet (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Dainty Damselfly sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Dainty Damselfly is recorded against all the insects logged in Vienna (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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