Ischnura pruinescens
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Ischnura pruinescens is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as the colourful bluetail. The taxon has been assessed for the IUCN Red List as being of least concern and is listed in the Catalogue of Life.
Ischnura pruinescens is a small to medium-sized damselfly with a wing span around 35 to 50mm. Adult males have a pruinose coating on the synthorax and some of the abdomen. The females have bright yellow or orange on the synthorax and legs, pale green under the abdomen, and blue markings on segments eight and nine.
It is found in Australia and New Guinea. The Australian distribution covers the north-eastern segment of the continent, from the Gold Coast to Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and west to the tropical parts of the Northern Territory.
The colourful bluetail inhabits freshwater pools, lakes, ponds and swamps. The genus name Ischnura is derived from the Greek ἰσχνός (ischnos, "thin" or "slender") and οὐρά (oura, "tail"), referring to the slender abdomen of species in the genus.
The species name pruinescens is Latin for "becoming frosty", referring to the bluish-grey bloom on the lower thorax... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Colourful Bluetail sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 57th most-seen of the 76 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Colourful Bluetail in Kakadu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July–August, October and December–March, the lowest months. That is one of Kakadu National Park's driest months, with about 50 mm of rain against 350 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Colourful Bluetail sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Colourful Bluetail sightings, Kakadu National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Litchfield National Park (Australia, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Colourful Bluetail is recorded against all the insects logged in Kakadu National Park (9 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.
