Dragonflies on Amager

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The dragonfly fauna found on Amager is first of all a collection of the common species, known as the generalists that are flexible and can breed in a variety of habitats.

Localities

Amager is the island lying as an appendice southeast of the Danish capital Copenhagen (København), in the eastern part of Denmark. With 16 x 10 km it politically houses three different municipalities: The northern part belongs to Copenhagen Municipality, the middle part to Tårnby, and the southern part to Dragør Municipality.

Amager is a flat island with the highest point being 8 meters above sea level [St. Magleby]. The soil is fertile and rich and in historic time it used to provide meat and vegetables for the nearby capital. During World War Two a land-claiming project was initiated to let the shallow waters and smaller sandy islands west of Amager become a permanent part of the island. This is the area known as Kalvebod Fælled. For many years it was under military control, but in the 80'ies it was opened to the public and is now presenting the larger part of what is recently being known as Naturpark Amager. The only real forest on the island, Kongelunden, was established during the first half of the 19th century, and a hundred years later Copenhagen airport was created now occupying a large part of the island and Tårnby Municipality.

As can be seen on the map below, almost all the relevant areas to look for dragonflies, are found along the western perimeter of the island. Urbanization has taken a large toll on free land on the island, and it is therefore only the specifically protected areas that have gone free. A few localities in the center of the island have proven suitable for breeding species (marked with an orange border). There are few other fresh-water ponds and ditches around on the island that might house breeding species, but in small numbers then and not something I've managed to clarify. Lastly: With a growing awareness about the need to protect nature, it might be that many private house-owners have invested in garden pools to help boost the local bio diversity. With many single-family properties, especially in Tårnby and Dragør, such micro-habitats could potentially make a significant contribution to suited localities for some of the generalists less fuzzy about requirements to the aquatic environment.

Main localities (See list at bottom for species details)
Amager Fælled

dryas, sponsa, splendens, puella, pulchellum, cyathigerum, najas, viridulum, elegans, pumilio, affinis, cyanea, grandis, mixta, emperator, parthenope, pratense, viridis, isoceles, aenea, erythraea, rubicunda, depressa, quadrimaculata, cancellatum, flaveolum, fonscolombii, danae, sanguineum, striolatum, vulgatum (31)

Kalvebod Fælled

barbarus, dryas, sponsa, splendens, puella, pulchellum, cyathigerum, najas, viridulum, elegans, pumilio, affinis, cyanea, grandis, mixta, ephippiger, emperator, parthenope, pratense, isoceles, aenea, flavomaculata, metallica, erythraea, rubicunda, depressa, quadrimaculata, cancellatum, flaveolum, fonscolombii, danae, sanguineum, striolatum, vulgatum (34)

Kongelundsområdet

dryas, sponsa, virens, splendens, puella, pulchellum, cyathigerum, najas, viridulum, elegans, affinis, cyanea, grandis, mixta, emperator, pratense, isoceles, aenea, erythraea, depressa, quadrimaculata, cancellatum, flaveolum, sanguineum, striolatum, vulgatum (26)

Søvang

sponsa, puella, pulchellum, cyathigerum, viridulum, elegans, affinis, cyanea, grandis, mixta, emperator, pratense, aenea, depressa, quadrimaculata, cancellatum, danae, sanguineum, striolatum, vulgatum (20)

Travbaneparken

dryas, sponsa, puella, cyathigerum, viridulum, elegans, pumilio, cyanea, mixta, emperator, depressa, quadrimaculata, cancellatum, danae, sanguineum, striolatum, vulgatum (17)

Skolebotanisk Have

puella, pulchellum, viridulum, elegans, mixta, quadrimaculata, sanguineum (7)

Lergravene

dryas, puella, pulchellum, cyathigerum, najas, elegans, cyanea, depressa, quadrimaculata, cancellatum, sanguineum, vulgatum (12)

Species list

Common: Means a species that is found every year and is breeding regularly.

Scarce: Means a species that is normally found every year, but only in few numbers and breeding is not expected.

Rare: Means a species that is not expected every year, or at all, and is normally not breeding when visiting.

Click the species name to see the comment details or click the number to the right to open the general species account.

With each species there are relevant detailed maps of the three main areas: Amager Fælled, Kalvebod Fælled and Kongelundsområdet. All other localities outside these areas are very restricted and easily overlooked, why it should be obvious where to look for the species if visiting.

Show species names in: DK GB SE

Kobbervandnymfer (Lestidae)
Sydlig Kobbervandnymfe (Lestes barbarus)	Scarce	1
A relatively new species in Denmark; with regular observations only during the last 10-15 years. Flight period Amager: July 30 - August 29. On Amager only seen on Kalvebod Fælled (and only by me). On August 8, 2023 I had the first animal for the island at Granatsø, a single male. On july 30, 2024 I managed to find a smaller population at the pond south of Birkedammen (Barbarus-vandhullet). Some 20 at the most were present, and mostly males. Later I found more animals, and especially more pairs (5-10), in a ditch nearby (Barbarus-renden). Egg-laying was confirmed, and now, in summer 2025, I'v been expecting to see the emerging result, the species reproducing in one year. Unfortunately there have been nothing so far(2025-07-05), but this might be caused by the presence of cattle that have destroyed the vegetation at both Barbarus-locations, and probably have trampled and killed many of the larvae before they could emerge. More to follow. Maps: Kalvebod Fælled
Sortmærket Kobbervandnymfe (Lestes dryas)	Common	2
Probably a long-time resident on the island. Flight period Amager: May 21 - August 29. Amager Fælled The best place to find it is at Strandengen-syd where it inhabits a grassy wet meadow that normally dries up in summer. But they seem to spread out, and near the water hole at Strandengen-midt I've also had it frequently. Kalvebod Fælled Here it prefers ditches that inundate in winter and dry out in summer. You can probably find in many more ditches than I've managed to cover, some being inside areas with no public access. The best spot is undoubtely Dryas-renden (hense the name), but Barbarus-renden and Granatsø are also reliable localities where to find it. The water holes near Naturskolen also seem to be a good spot for (though often overrun by school classes and nature tourists). Kongelundsområdet Here I've found the species at the isolated and overgrown water hole inside the forest (NØ-vandhullet), emphasizing the adaptability of the species. This water hole does normally not dry up completely. Outside these three main areas I've also had it on single occasions at Travbaneparken and Lergravene, two rather isolated localities, illustrating well the dispersibility that characterize the spreadwings in general. Maps: Amager Fælled Kalvebod Fælled Kongelundsområdet
Almindelig Kobbervandnymfe (Lestes sponsa)	Common	3
Probably long-time resident on the island. Flight period Amager: June 10 - September 4. Is found in both canals and smaller permanent lakes with good vegetation. Amager Fælled Here it is best found near the water holes at Strandengen-syd (precise marker), but also at Strandengen-midt and at Den Landskabelige Kanal - syd (DLK-syd). Kalvebod Fælled Here it prefers the permanent water bodies, smaller lakes, but can also be found with L. dryas in wet ditches. Granatsø is where you find the largest numbers. Kongelundsområdet Here I have found it together with L. dryas at NØ-vandhullet, and on one occasion I've found an animal that looked suspiciously like a hybrid between the two. Outside the three main areas I've seen it on few occasions at Travbaneparken and at Søvang-vandhullet. Maps: Amager Fælled Kalvebod Fælled Kongelundsområdet
Lille Kobbervandnymfe (Lestes virens)	Rare	4
Accidental. Seen in August 2010 in Kongelunden of all places. Reported in naturbasen by two persons with good photo documentation. Speculating whether it/they could have arrived from Sweden where it it holds a population in the South Central Scania (Skåne) which is not very far from Denmark.
Pragtvandnymfer (Calopterygidae)
Blåbåndet Pragtvandnymfe (Calopteryx splendens)	Rare	5
Probably a yearly visitor, but normally just passing through without staying for long. All records appear to be of males.
Vandnymfer (Coenagrionidae)
Hestesko-vandnymfe (Coenagrion puella)	Common	6
Common breeding species throughout the area.
Flagermus-vandnymfe (Coenagrion pulchellum)	Common	7
Common breeding species throughout the area.
Almindelig Vandnymfe (Enallagma cyathigerum)	Common	8
Common breeding species throughout the area.
Rødøjet Vandnymfe (Erythromma najas)	Common	9
Common breeding species.
Lille Rødøjet Vandnymfe (Erythromma viridulum)	Common	10
Common breeding species.
Stor Farvevandnymfe (Ischnura elegans)	Common	11
Common breeding species.
Lille Farvevandnymfe (Ischnura pumilio)	Scarce	12
Scarce breeding species.
Mosaikguldsmede (Aeshnidae)
Sydlig Mosaikguldsmed (Aeshna affinis)	Scarce	13
Newly arrived species discovered in 2022 and increasing number of observations the following years. It is very likely that it is breeding, but no larvae or emergences have been found yet.
Blå Mosaikguldsmed (Aeshna cyanea)	Common	14
Common breeding species.
Brun Mosaikguldsmed (Aeshna grandis)	Rare	15
Sporadic observations of this species with no signs of breeding. Normally seen as single animals that disappear after a while.
Efterårs-mosaikguldsmed (Aeshna mixta)	Common	16
Common breeding species.
Grøn Mosaikguldsmed (Aeshna viridis)	Rare	17
Accidental? A single historical observation from Amager Fælled, June 25, 1930. No details, other than specimen discovered in the collections of Statens Naturhistoriske Museum, Copenhagen.
Brun Kejserguldsmed (Anax ephippiger)	Rare	18
Accidental. A single observation by Bo Nielsen in June 2019 of an egg-dropping pair at Granatsø. No reports of presence the following year or later.
Stor Kejserguldsmed (Anax imperator)	Common	19
Common breeding species.
Lille Kejserguldsmed (Anax parthenope)	Rare	20
Rare visitor but probably becoming more common. Still mostly observations of by-passers it seems. Both seen on Amager Fælled and Kalvebod Fælled.
Håret Mosaikguldsmed (Brachytron pratense)	Common	21
Common breeding species.
Kileplet-mosaikguldsmed (Isoaeschna isoceles)	Scarce	22
Scarce visitor of single animals.
Smaragdlibeller og lignende (Corduliidae)
Grøn Smaragdlibel (Cordulia aenea)	Scarce	23
Scarce visitor and probably not a breeder.
Plettet Smaragdlibel (Somatochlora flavomaculata)	Rare	24
A single observation, by me, at shelter area Viben flying around in a clearing in birch forest.
Glinsende Smaragdlibel (Somatochlora metallica)	Rare	25
Rare and only seen by me in the canal, under the bridge (Pumpehusbroen), near Hejresøen. Only males seen and they only stay for a few days, apparently.
Libeller (Libellulidae)
Flammelibel (Crocothemis erythraea)	Rare	26
Rare visitor of single individuals. Not yearly but increasing occurance in Denmark makes it likely to become more common.
Nordisk Kærguldsmed (Leucorrhinia rubicunda)	Rare	27
Rare visitor to Amager Fælled at Den Landskabelige Kanal. Only seen by Bo Nielsen, but on two occasions, June 6 & 10 2017 and May 26 2025.
Blå Libel (Libellula depressa)	Common	28
Common breeding species.
Fire-plettet Libel (Libellula quadrimaculata)	Common	29
Common breeding species.
Stor Blåpil (Orthetrum cancellatum)	Common	30
Common breeding species.
Sort Hedelibel (Sympetrum danae)	Scarce	31
Scarce visitor and perhaps local breeder.
Gulvinget Hedelibel (Sympetrum flaveolum)	Rare	32
Rare visitor and mainly in invasion years (like 2019) and the year after. Young animals have been found why breeding must have taken place.
Rødåret Hedelibel (Sympetrum fonscolombii)	Rare	33
Rare visitor and breeding species. Not found every year, though. None found in 2023, for example, but reasonble numbers in 2024. Probably following a larger pattern affecting the Central European populations.
Blodrød Hedelibel (Sympetrum sanguineum)	Common	34
Common breeding species.
Stor Hedelibel (Sympetrum striolatum)	Common	35
Common breeding species.
Almindelig Hedelibel (Sympetrum vulgatum)	Common	36
Common breeding species.

Potential species

Common Winter Damsel (Sympecma fusca)
Widespread in nearby southern Skåne, Sweden, and having spread to the Danish island of Bornholm during recent years, and the fact that in Aug 2025 an animal was seen just on the other side of Øresund, the species could very likely be the next species to be added to the Amager list.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calypteryx virgo)
On July 19, 2024 I had two different males flying by, one at Søvang and the other at Granatsø, that might have been of this species. I saw wings that looked all dark, but I'm not sure if a Banded wing wouldn't look the same in flight, from a distance. There are several observations of this species throughout Sjælland, why it is very likely that it will also be confirmed on Amager one day.

Moorland Hawker (Aeshna juncea)
Two larva claims exist: One I've found in arter.dk and one in inaturalist.com. The larva shown in Arter I simply can't see is a odonata larva. I've commented the issue to the observer, but without any response. The larva from iNaturalist, I agree, looks very much like a juncea, but I've used the larva-key created by Ole Fogh Nielsen, and by that I reached the conclusion that it is a Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta), which is very similar, but shows different proportions between cerci and paraprocts.

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens)
This species is present just across Øresund in Bunkeflostrand, Scania. The habitat there is an open shallow pond fringed by sedges; habitat that should not be very different from what can be found on Amager. That said, perhaps the calcarious soil over there makes the crucial difference?

Small Whiteface (Leucorrhinia dubia)
There is an observation in inaturalist.com claiming to be of this species, but the supporting photo, in my opinion, shows a female Ruby Whiteface (Leucorrhinia rubicunda).

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