The Large Red Damselfly is one of the most common and widespread dragonflies, having a wide habitat tolerance throughout Argyll and the Isles. Furthermore, it is the earliest of this family of insects to emerge in Spring, with the first tenerals often showing in late April. These glisten-winged immatures gain their colour after about 12 days, with males maturing around four days earlier than females.

 

Adult females occur in three different colour forms, the commonest typica having more obvious black on all the abdominal segments when compared with males.

 

Seeing this species' 'in tandem' on their breeding grounds is a common occurrence. After mating, both sexes stay together, thus allowing the male partner to protect his mate while egg-laying takes place. Other dragonflies separate having mated, with some males being protective of their partners while others are not.

 

Females lay their eggs in batches of 350 on to submerged vegetation. These eggs hatch as soon as two weeks after being laid. The larvae live in their underwater home for around 2 years before emerging during a three week period in late April – mid-May.