Xanthocnemis zealandica
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Xanthocnemis zealandica, commonly known as common redcoat damselfly, red damselfly, or red coat damselfly, is one of the most common native New Zealand damselflies. Adult damselflies are often seen flying around vegetation close to streams.
X. zealandica has a 2–3 year life cycle; the shorter one was observed near sea level while the longer one was characteristic to a mid-elevation site (579 m (1,900 ft) above sea level). Some individuals at the lowland sites may even complete their life cycle in one year. X. zealandica nymphs are widespread across New Zealand, occurring in rocky and weedy streams and ponds. It is predominantly a low-altitude species but can reach 1,945 m (6,381 ft) above sea level. The nymphs of the red damselfly are identified by their pointed tail gills and long hairs by the tip.
This species was first described by Robert McLachlan in 1873 and named Telebasis zealandica. Until 1981, it was the only species in the endemic New Zealand genus Xanthocnemis. Xanthocnemis zealandica is the only predominantly red damselfly found in New Zealand. Its name is attributed to the bold red colour of the male, decorated with black markings. Female... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Red Damselfly sighting in Fiordland National Park on a given day, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 201 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Red Damselfly in Fiordland National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to October, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red 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.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Red Damselfly sightings, Fiordland National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (New Zealand, about 30%) and Arthur's Pass National Park (New Zealand, about 20%).
Same order: Odonata
The closest relatives of the Red Damselfly that you can see in Fiordland National Park (order Odonata, Dragonflies and Damselflies) are Blue Damselfly (about 10%) and Carové's Giant Dragonfly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red Damselfly is recorded against all the insects logged in Fiordland National Park (49 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
