Insects diurnal

Broad-bodied Chaser

Libellula depressa

The Broad-bodied Chaser is a master of the garden pond, easily identified by its unusually wide, flattened abdomen and its fearless, territorial nature. Whether patrolling the water's edge in sky-blue armor or perched on a reed in golden-brown hues, this dragonfly is a spectacular sight for any backyard observer.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Body length 39–48 mm (1.5–1.9 in); Wingspan 70–80 mm (2.8–3.1 in)

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Colors

Males have a distinctive powdery (pruinose) sky-blue abdomen with yellow spots along the sides. Females and immature males are a vibrant golden-brown or tawny color. Both sexes feature dark brown triangular patches at the base of all four wings.

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Key Features

Extremely broad and flattened abdomen
Dark triangular patches at the base of all four wings
Male abdomen becomes powdery blue with age
Yellow spots along the margins of the abdomen

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (during bright, sunny spells)

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Season May-August

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Diet Carnivorous; primarily feeds on flying insects like midges, mosquitoes, and small flies caught in flight.

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Habitat Garden ponds, small lakes, and slow-moving ditches, especially those with plenty of sunlight and some bare pond margins.

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Behavior

The Broad-bodied Chaser is a bold and highly territorial dragonfly often described as the 'pioneer' of the insect world. It is frequently the first species to colonize newly created garden ponds or disturbed wetlands, drawn to bare soil and open water. Males are fiercely protective of their chosen territory, patrolling the pond's edge and darting out to intercept rivals or potential mates with aggressive aerial maneuvers.

Unlike some dragonflies that spend hours on the wing, the Broad-bodied Chaser is a 'perch-and-wait' hunter. It spends a significant amount of time sitting on prominent stems, tall grasses, or overhanging branches. From these vantage points, it keeps a keen eye out for passing prey—typically small flies, mosquitoes, and midges—which it captures in mid-air with incredible speed before returning to its perch to eat.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of a Broad-bodied Chaser, you need to think like a territorial male. These dragonflies have favorite 'sentinel' perches—usually a tall reed, a bamboo cane, or a stick poking out of the water at a 45-degree angle. Position your AI-powered camera 2 to 4 feet away from such a perch, ensuring the background is distant enough to create a nice blur (bokeh) that makes the insect pop. Because they are cold-blooded, they are most active when the sun is hitting the water, so aim for a south-facing setup where the light will illuminate their blue or golden bodies.

Since these dragonflies move with lightning speed, camera settings are crucial. If your camera allows for manual adjustments, aim for a high shutter speed (1/1000s or faster) to freeze the wing motion. For AI cameras, look for 'Insect' or 'High Speed' modes. If you don't have a natural perch near your pond, you can 'lure' them into frame by firmly planting a dead branch or a garden stake in the shallow water. Within hours, a male will likely claim it as his throne, giving you a predictable target for your lens.

Don't just focus on the water's surface; keep an eye on the surrounding vegetation. Females often hover near the pond edges to lay eggs, while newly emerged adults (teneral) may be found clinging to tall grasses several feet away from the water. Early morning is the best time to catch them while they are still 'warming up' and less likely to fly away, allowing for incredible close-up macro shots while they are covered in morning dew.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Broad-bodied Chaser.

Scarce Chaser

The male Scarce Chaser has a black tip on its blue abdomen and dark eyes, whereas the Broad-bodied has yellow spots on the sides and lighter eyes.

Four-spotted Chaser

Lacks the broad, flat shape and blue color; it has a tapered brown abdomen and small dark spots on the middle of each wing edge.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Males are also blue but much slimmer, with a black tip to the abdomen and no dark patches at the base of the wings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Broad-bodied Chasers are sun-lovers and are most active during the warmest part of the day, typically between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. They rarely fly in overcast or rainy conditions, preferring to shelter in tall grass until the sun returns.

The best way to attract them is by creating a garden pond with at least one shallow, sloping edge that has some bare mud or stones. They love 'new' ponds and plenty of tall aquatic plants like reeds or irises to use as perches and for their larvae to emerge from.

They are generalist predators that eat a variety of small flying insects, including mosquitoes, midges, and small flies. They catch their prey mid-air and often return to the same perch to consume it.

Yes, they are very common in suburban gardens across Europe and Central Asia, especially those with ponds. They are often one of the first dragonfly species to find and colonize a brand-new garden pond.

While both have wing patches, the Broad-bodied Chaser has a much wider, flatter abdomen (powder blue in males, golden in females). The Four-spotted Chaser has a slimmer, tapered brown abdomen and distinctive dark spots halfway down the leading edge of each wing.

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