The small blue dragonfly (Orthetrum coerulescens) is 36 to 45 mm long, with a wingspan of 28 to 33 mm. In addition to being somewhat smaller than the related blue dragonfly with which it often occurs together, we will recognize the male of the small blue dragonfly most reliably by its brown facial part of the head and brown or only slightly bluish thorax. Its slender abdomen is dark blue, and its legs are dark, almost black. The pterostigma in this species is long and dark yellow. The female is inconspicuous, pink ochre in color. Her abdomen features a pattern of thin black stripes running along the dorsum and lateral parts of the abdomen, and short stripes that cross them. For both sexes, pale antehumeral bands on the front part of the thorax are also characteristic.
For adult male blue dragonflies, it is typical that when they perch within their habitat they prefer to settle on shoreline vegetation rather than resting on the ground.
The small blue dragonfly is a resident of running waters, especially streams; it is also found in headwaters and in ditches. Adults may appear as early as April and fly until November, with the greatest numbers around larval habitats observed from June to August.
