Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile
A slender Familiar Bluet rests among trail-side grasses and nearby wetland vegetation, its narrow body and folded wings blending easily into the green margins of the habitat. These images emphasize both the delicate macro details of the insect and the variation seen among female bluets.
Female bluets can vary noticeably in color and abdominal pattern. Some individuals appear bright blue with strong pale markings, while others look much darker, with reduced blue on the terminal abdominal segments. Close views of the face, thorax, legs, and abdominal banding are especially useful for comparing individuals in the field.
For identification details and comparison with similar species, see Enallagma civile in the Field Notes section.
The same individual reveals the pale thoracic stripes, folded wings, and blue abdominal markings characteristic of female bluets. The insect's small size and slender form make it easy to overlook, but the close-up view highlights the intricate details of its anatomy and coloration.
Blue-form Female
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 1250 • Aperture f/16.0 • Shutter 1/80 s
E22A4408 • Size: 2348×1565
Feeding Female
After briefly disappearing into the surrounding vegetation, this female returned carrying prey. A blade of grass partially obscures the view, but the image captures a moment of feeding behavior rarely visible in more formal portraits.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 1250 • Aperture f/16.0 • Shutter 1/80 s
E22A4399 • Size: 2348×1565
A close portrait of a female bluet clinging to a blade of grass, highlighting the large compound eyes, delicate legs, and powder-blue thorax characteristic of many female bluets. The narrow blade of grass provides a sense of scale. Despite its small size, the damselfly spans much of its length, revealing details that are easy to overlook when viewed from a distance.
Macro Portrait Behind a Blade of Grass
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 400 • Aperture f/8.0 • Shutter 1/320 s
E22A4390 • Size: 1564×1043
Warm-toned Female
A female with warmer coloration rests on a broad leaf, illustrating the variation in color and pattern that can occur among female bluets.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 200 • Aperture f/13 • Shutter 1/125
E21A1646 • Size: 2048x1365
Dark-form Female
A darker female rests vertically on a grass blade, showing reduced blue on the abdomen and a noticeably different terminal banding pattern from the blue-form individual.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 1250 • Aperture f/11.0 • Shutter 1/160 s
E22A4426 • Size: 6000×4000