How quickly do Dragonflies get their adult colour?
When dragonflies and damselflies first emerge from their water-borne larval stage, most have very muted colours. Depending on weather conditions, it can take a few days for them to gain their bright adult colour. Common Blue damselflies are often a pale pinkish-brown rather than sky-blue on first emergence. Some damselflies, Blue-tailed are a good example, undergo a gradual colour change as they age.
When dragonflies and damselflies first emerge from their water-borne larval stage, most have very muted colours. Depending on weather conditions, it can take a few days for them to gain their bright adult colour. Common Blue damselflies are often a pale pinkish-brown rather than sky-blue on first emergence. Some damselflies, Blue-tailed are a good example, undergo a gradual colour change as they age. The females have several different colour forms, some change from violet to rich brown, others from salmon-pink to blue. Some of the larger dragonflies also change colour as they age. Some old females may start to develop the colouration of the males. Examples are Common Darter, which goes from yellow-brown to reddish brown, and Black-tailed Skimmer, which goes from yellow-brown to a blueish-grey.
