A blue dragonfly with black wings can be several different insects depending on how much of the wings are, where the black markings occur, and whether the body is bright blue, powder blue, or metallic blue-green. In North America, possibilities include the Common Whitetail, Widow Skimmer, Blue Corporal, and other skimmers. However, an insect with a brilliant blue-green body and almost completely black wings may actually be an Ebony Jewelwing damselfly, not a true dragonfly.
Careful attention to wing bands, body shape, eye position, and geographic location can usually narrow the identification.
What Is a Blue Dragonfly With Black Wings?
“Blue dragonfly with black wings” is a descriptive phrase rather than the official common name of one species. Dragonflies can have clear wings with black bands, dark patches near the wing bases, or small black spots near the tips. Males and females can also have very different colors.
The most useful identification clues are:
- Amount of black on each wing
- Location of dark bands or spots
- Shade of blue on the abdomen
- Body size and shape
- Head and eye color
- Whether the insect is a dragonfly or damselfly
- Geographic location
Common Blue Dragonflies With Black Wing Markings
Several species fit at least part of this description.
| Species | Body Color | Wing Pattern |
| Common Whitetail | Bluish-white male abdomen | Broad black bands |
| Widow Skimmer | Pale or bluish mature male | Large black basal patches |
| Blue Corporal | Dark blue male | Dark patches at wing bases |
| Spangled Skimmer | Blue male | Small black-and-white wing spots |
| Ebony Jewelwing* | Metallic blue-green | Nearly solid black wings |
| Beautiful Demoiselle* | Metallic blue | Dark wings |
| Banded Demoiselle* | Metallic blue | Broad dark wing band |
*These are damselflies rather than true dragonflies.
Common Whitetail
The Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) is one of the strongest matches when someone describes a light blue dragonfly with black striped wings.
Mature males have a chalky bluish-white abdomen and a broad dark band across each of their four wings. Females are brown and have three separate dark patches on each wing instead.
Common Whitetail Identification
Look for:
- Broad, somewhat flattened abdomen
- Powdery blue-white coloration in males
- One wide black band across each wing
- Clear areas on either side of the dark band
- Four wings held outward while resting
From a distance, the abdomen can look distinctly light blue, which explains descriptions such as “light blue dragonfly with black wings.”
Widow Skimmer
The Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) is another commonly confused black-winged dragonfly.
Its wings have large dark patches near their bases. Mature males develop contrasting white areas beside these dark patches, producing a bold black-and-white wing pattern.
What Does a Widow Skimmer Look Like?
A mature male may show:
- Pale or bluish-looking body
- Large dark areas on all four wings
- White wing patches beside the dark sections
- Robust skimmer body
- Mostly clear outer wing sections
A black and blue Widow Skimmer dragonfly can look especially dramatic in bright sunlight.
Blue Corporal
The Blue Corporal (Ladona deplanata) is primarily blue-bodied rather than black-winged, but it does have dark markings at the bases of its wings.
Mature males have a dark blue body, black head, and dark basal wing marks. Females and immature males are browner.
This species may match sightings described as:
- Dark blue dragonfly with black head
- Blue dragonfly with black spots on wings
- Blue dragonfly with dark wing bases
However, its wings are not entirely black.
Spangled Skimmer
The Spangled Skimmer (Libellula cyanea) provides another possible match when only small dark wing spots are present.
Males are blue with a dark head, and each of their four wings has a white spot positioned beside a black spot along the outer leading edge.
It is therefore more appropriate for a description such as “blue dragonfly with black spot on wings” than for a dragonfly with completely black wings.
Blue Dragonfly With Completely Black Wings
If the insect has a shiny blue or blue-green body and nearly solid black wings, there is a good chance it is not a dragonfly at all.
It may be an Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata), a large damselfly.
Ebony Jewelwing
Male Ebony Jewelwings have:
- Brilliant metallic blue-green bodies
- Nearly completely black wings
- Slender bodies
- Fluttering flight
Females are less brightly colored and have smoky wings with a white spot near each wingtip. Older males generally have darker and more solid-looking wings than younger individuals.
This species is one of the best matches for searches such as:
- Small blue dragonfly with black wings
- Shiny blue dragonfly with black wings
- Blue-green dragonfly black wings
- Black dragonfly with blue body
Despite its appearance, the Ebony Jewelwing belongs to the damselfly group.
Dragonfly vs Damselfly
Dragonflies and damselflies are closely related but differ in several visible ways.
| Feature | Dragonfly | Damselfly |
| Body | Usually relatively robust | Usually slender |
| Eyes | Often meet or nearly meet | Usually separated |
| Resting wings | Usually spread outward | Often held together or partly open |
| Flight | Strong and direct | Often lighter or fluttering |
Dragonflies typically have robust bodies and hold their wings horizontally when resting.
So if your “blue dragonfly with black wings” is extremely slender and has fluttering butterfly-like flight, a damselfly is worth considering.
Blue Dragonfly With Black Wings in the UK
In the UK, two particularly important look-alikes are the Banded Demoiselle and Beautiful Demoiselle.
Both are damselflies.
Banded Demoiselle
Male Banded Demoiselles have metallic blue bodies and broad dark blue-black bands across the outer portions of their wings. Females are metallic green and have much paler translucent wings.
This makes the male an excellent match for:
- Blue winged dragonfly UK
- Blue dragonfly with black banded wings
- Blue dragonfly black wings UK
- Dragonfly with blue and black wings
Again, technically it is a damselfly.
Beautiful Demoiselle
The male Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) has a metallic blue body and wings that are dark over most of their surface. Females have metallic green-bronze bodies and translucent brownish wings.
Compared with the Banded Demoiselle, the Beautiful Demoiselle generally has much more extensively darkened wings.
If you see a metallic blue insect in the UK with almost completely dark wings, this species is a strong possibility.
Do Dragonflies Actually Have Blue Wings?
Many dragonflies described as having “blue wings” actually have clear wings combined with a blue body.
The wings may appear blue because:
- The body color shows through them
- Sunlight creates reflections
- Photography changes their apparent color
- Dark wing patches have blue iridescence
True blue wing pigmentation is less common than blue coloration on the body.
Some metallic damselflies can produce particularly strong blue, green, or black iridescence depending on viewing angle.
Why Do Dragonflies Have Four Wings?
Every adult dragonfly has two pairs of wings, meaning four wings in total. Dragonflies typically hold all four outward when resting.
The front and rear wings can move with considerable independence, helping dragonflies:
- Hover
- Accelerate rapidly
- Change direction
- Glide
- Fly backward
- Capture insects in the air
Therefore, searches for a “4 winged blue dragonfly” normally describe a completely normal adult dragonfly.
Blue Dragonfly With Black Spots on Wings
Small black wing spots should not automatically be confused with completely black wings.
Most dragonflies have a small thickened cell near the leading edge of each wing called the pterostigma, and it may appear black, brown, white, or another color depending on species. Wing pattern and pterostigma coloration are useful identification characteristics.
Other species have additional dark patches.
For example, the Calico Pennant has a distinctive dark spot positioned shortly before the wingtip.
So the number and exact location of spots matter.
Blue Dragonfly With Clear Wings
A blue-bodied dragonfly with otherwise clear wings is more likely to be a species such as the Blue Dasher or Slaty Skimmer than one of the strongly patterned skimmers.
Male Blue Dashers have chalky blue bodies, turquoise eyes, white faces, and dark tips on their abdomens.
Older male Slaty Skimmers are slate blue with black heads, while their four wings primarily remain transparent aside from a dark spot along the outer leading edge.
These species should not be confused with insects whose entire wings are dark.
Are Blue Dragonflies With Black Wings Rare?
Not necessarily.
The apparent rarity depends on the exact species and location. A dark-winged insect might be a locally common Common Whitetail, Widow Skimmer, Ebony Jewelwing, or demoiselle rather than an unusual species.
The color description alone cannot determine rarity.
For identification, photographs showing the top of the wings, abdomen, thorax, and head are particularly helpful.
FAQs
What kind of dragonfly has a blue body and black wings?
Several insects can match. Common Whitetails have pale blue-white male abdomens with broad black wing bands, while Widow Skimmers have large dark patches. If the wings are nearly completely black and the body is metallic blue-green, it may be an Ebony Jewelwing damselfly.
What is a small blue dragonfly with black wings?
An Ebony Jewelwing is one possibility, especially if the body is slender and metallic blue-green and the wings are almost entirely black. It is actually a damselfly rather than a dragonfly.
What UK insect has a blue body and black wings?
Male Beautiful Demoiselles have metallic blue bodies and extensively dark wings, while male Banded Demoiselles have broad dark bands across otherwise clearer wings. Both are damselflies.
What dragonfly has black striped wings and a blue body?
A mature male Common Whitetail is a strong possibility. It has a chalky bluish-white abdomen and a broad dark band across each wing.
Do blue dragonflies have four wings?
Yes. Like all adult dragonflies, blue dragonflies have two pairs of wings, giving them four wings altogether. The wings are generally held outward while the insect rests.