bright orange like dragonfly

[hazelcs]

my husband was bemused to see bright orange like dragonfly in our garden, which seemed to look like a fish with 3 sets of wings. On looking in various books we think it might have been a damselfly. Are they common in north east of scotland?, we are 25 miles to coast, but there a few little streams or garden ponds within a mile or so.

[burnhal]

The most likely is the Large Red damselfly. Unlike most other damselfly species which tend to be more southern in their range, the Large Red is widespread throughout the UK. They need slow or still water to lay their eggs in, marsh, peat bog and the like will do. Like dragonflies- the larval stage is far longer than the adult stage.
If you saw it flying, a damslefly has a more fluttering flight- dragonflies are more dorect. If landed, dragonflies rest with wings spread, damsels fold their wings along the body at rest.

[hazelcs]

Our wooden table is painted pale blue and it seemed to hover over then land on it. It did have its wings close to body, thats why my husband referred to it "like a fish" , with long narrow body and gill-like wings, along its length.

This is not a peaty area and i cant think of any still water, other than one or two small garden ponds in the village.

First time seen in our garden and we have lived here for almost 20 years!