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Found in Eindhoven - 9 June 2008
That is first year that I try to ID the odonata. I hesitate about the ID because the pterostigma should be dark and they are white and one of the key of this species is the opened wings when resting which is not true on my picture.

Thanks in advance.

Mariki

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Not sponsa. The very clear pterostigma makes it unmistakable: Lestes viridis (here, is the most common and the only Lestes that I've seen ever)

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That what I was thinking first, but the problem with L. viridis is that it is supposed to appear only in July, not in June at least in the Netherlands, and the weather has not been so good so far.

Regards,
Mariki

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Hi Mariki,

I realise that this is a very old post, I found it when searching for example photos to illustrate an ID point on this thread from another forum;
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=147953

Your photo is of Lestes sponsa, as you originally suspected. All damselflie tend to have very pale, often white, pterostigmas when they have recently emerged, and as these darken gradually they can be this pale brown colour on sponsa. As well as other small features viridis also has a prominent green 'spur like' marking on the side of the thorax.
Lestes don't always perch with their wings open - especially when recently emerged - but usually show the typical wings open pose briefly when they first land.


Roy.

PS. Hope you don't mind me linking your photo!