Swamp Bluet (Africallagma glaucum)

Cover photo by Neels Jackson.

Find the Swamp Bluet in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.

Family Coenagrionidae

Identification

Very Small

Length up to 31mm; Wingspan attains 40mm.

The Swamp Bluet most resembles the Slender Bluet Africallagma fractum, but is smaller and less elongate. Africallagma fractum also differs in having large, round postocular spots and a unique keyhole shaped marking at the top of the abdomen on segment 7.

Females are tawny and nondescript. They are best identified by their association with the males.

Click here for more details on identification.

Habitat

The Swamp Bluet inhabits marshes, seeps and the fringes of ponds, lakes, dams and slow-moving rivers or streams. It favours still water environments with fringing and emergent grass, sedge or reeds. The Swamp Bluet is recorded from all biomes in southern Africa.

Behaviour

The Swamp Bluet is fairly conspicuous despite its small size. It perches on plant stems close to the water and is often gregarious. Both sexes are usually found in the same vicinity, although females can also be found away from water in tall grass.

Most active from September to May, but flies year round in some places. See Phenology below.

Status and Conservation

The Swamp Bluet is very common throughout southern Africa and is the most frequently recorded Bluet in the region. It is listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Species. The Swamp Bluet is a hardy and adaptable species. This has enabled it to use man-made waterholes and animal watering points, allowing it to spread into arid areas.

Distribution

The Swamp Bluet occurs widely in Southern, central, and East Africa. It is found throughout southern Africa, including arid areas.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Swamp Bluet in the OdonataMAP database as at February 2020.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Swamp Bluet in the OdonataMAP database as of December 2024.

The next map below is an imputed map, produced by an interpolation algorithm, which attempts to generate a full distribution map from the partial information in the map above. This map will be improved by the submission of records to the OdonataMAP section of the Virtual Museum.

Ultimately, we will produce a series of maps for all the odonata species in the region. The current algorithm is a new algorithm. The objective is mainly to produce “smoothed” maps that could go into a field guide for odonata. This basic version of the algorithm (as mapped above) does not make use of “explanatory variables” (e.g. altitude, terrain roughness, presence of freshwater — we will be producing maps that take these variables into account soon). Currently, it only makes use of the OdonataMAP records for the species being mapped, as well as all the other records of all other species. The basic maps are “optimistic” and will generally show ranges to be larger than what they probably are.

These maps use the data in the OdonataMAP section of the Virtual Museum, and also the database assembled by the previous JRS funded project, which was led by Professor Michael Samways and Dr KD Dijkstra.

Phenology

Further Resources

The use of photographs by Neels Jackson is acknowledged. All other photographs by Ryan Tippett.

Swamp Bluet Africallagma glaucum (Burmeister, 1839)

Other common names: Vleibloutjie (Afrikaans)

Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M; Navarro R; Tippett RM; Underhill L. 2025. Swamp Bluet Africallagma glaucum. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2020/04/21/swamp-bluet-africallagma-glaucum/

References: Tarboton, M; Tarboton, W. (2019). A Guide to the Dragonflies & Damselflies of South Africa. Struik Nature.

Samways, MJ. (2008). Dragonflies and Damselflies of South Africa. Pensoft

Samways, MJ. (2016). Manual of Freshwater Assessment for South Africa: Dragonfly Biotic Index. Suricata 2. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria

Martens, A; Suhling, F. (2007). Dragonflies and Damselflies of Namibia. Gamsberg Macmillan.

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