30 Dragonfly and Damselfly species occur in Ireland with an additional 3 species known only from historical records. There are 14 resident dragonfly species, 11 resident damselfly species and 5 vagrant species.
Dragonflies
Common name | Species name |
Golden-ringed Dragonfly | Cordulegaster boltonii |
Hairy Dragonfly | Brachytron pratense |
Common Hawker | Aeshna juncea |
Brown Hawker | Aeshna grandis |
Migrant Hawker | Aeshna mixta |
Emperor Dragonfly | Anax imperator |
Downy Emerald | Cordulia aenea |
Northern Emerald | Somatochlora arctica |
Four-spotted Chaser | Libellula quadrimaculata |
Keeled Skimmer | Orthetrum coerulescens |
Black-tailed Skimmer | Orthetrum cancellatum |
Common Darter | Sympetrum striolatum |
Ruddy Darter | Sympetrum sanguineum |
Black Darter | Sympetrum danae |
Damselflies
Common name | Species name |
Beautiful Demoiselle | Calopteryx virgo |
Banded Demoiselle | Calopteryx splendens |
Emerald Damselfly | Lestes sponsa |
Scarce Emerald Damselfly | Lestes dryas |
Large Red Damselfly | Pyrrhosoma nymphula |
Blue-tailed Damselfly | Ischnura elegans |
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly | Ischnura pumilio |
Common Blue Damselfly | Enallagma cyathigerum |
Variable Damselfly | Coenagrion pulchellum |
Azure Damselfly | Coenagrion puella |
Irish Damselfly | Coenagrion lunulatum |
Vagrant Dragonflies
Common name | Species name |
Lesser Emperor | Anax parthenope |
Vagrant Emperor | Hemianax ephippiger |
Southern Hawker | Aeshna cyanea |
Red-veined Darter | Sympetrum fonscolombii |
Yellow-winged Darter | Sympetrum flaveolum |
Historical Dragonfly Records
Common name | Species name |
Club-tailed Dragonfly | Gomphus vulgatissimus |
Broad-bodied Chaser | Libellula depressa |
Scarce Chaser | Libellula fulva |