Bug FAQCommon Citril
Ceriagrion glabrum · Order: Odonata · Family: Coenagrionidae
Also called: Common Pond Damsel, Common Waxtail, Orange Waxtail
The common citril is a small to medium damselfly, reaching about 46 mm in length and a wingspan of roughly 53 mm. It lives in many freshwater spots such as marshes, ponds, dams, pans and quiet river backwaters, especially where reeds, grasses and sedges are abundant. It can hunt and eat smaller damselflies, particularly young, soft-bodied ones.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males show a bright orange body without markings, with lighter yellow-orange on the abdomen sides. Females vary from brown to green to orange and become more orange as they age, but never as vivid as males.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults grow up to about 46 mm long and have a wingspan of up to 53 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers sites rich in reeds, grasses and sedges.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It can be a fierce predator of smaller damselflies, especially when they are young and soft-bodied.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is widespread across Africa, especially in reed-dominated habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Same family (Coenagrionidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceriagrion_glabrum
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.