Insects Identification Help Please

[rowanwitch]

Saw near a small pool, about the size of a hornet but fatter with a vivid light lilac blue abdomen, more like a n oversized bumble bee. Can't find it on any of the usual sites. No photo it moved too fast.

[ToraToraTora]

are sure it was a blue abdomen not thorax?
could be one of these: https://www.insectweek.co.uk/discover-insects/bees-ants-wasps/ruby-tailed-wasps

[ToraToraTora]

there is cuckoo wasp but that's found in Australia.

[Tilly2]

Was it flying or crawling?

[rowanwitch]

Flying, over the water too fat for any of the seemingly types, blue was electric and it looked furry. I am sure something was reported earlier in the spring about them but can't find the reference. Think it's a visitor not a native.

[rowanwitch]

Seemingly!!! Dragonfly types. Not shiny or irridescent, more dayglo blue about the colour of a harebell

[davebro]

I saw something like that last year. Small, brilliant blue & very fast moving, flitting among the branches of a tree fallen in a stream. I assumed they were damsel flies but with no real knowledge I stand to be corrected.

[davebro]

https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/azure-damselfly/

[rowanwitch]

Nothing like a damsel fly, dragonfly, or hawker. Fat, furry, looks like a large bumble bee with a pale blue bum!

[davebro]

mine moved so quick all I saw was a blue flash!

[carrot99]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylocopa_caerulea

This looks like a blue bumblebee.

[barry1010]

That isn't in the UK.
I think you saw a bee that had been in amongst a ceanothus

[rowanwitch]

I know what I didn't see, it was only bumble bee shape but definitely hornet size. The female was more like a hornet, no blue just stripes but slightly furry. They were mating when I arrived. No ceanothus by the pond, no blue flowers at all. I am usually quite good at identifying stuff but this was a new bug to me.

[Milvus]

Probably a Broad-bodied Chaser (Dragonfly)
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/dragonflies/broad-bodied-chaser

[rowanwitch]

Colour is close but it was rounder and fluffy the female was clearly striped like a hornet in fact I thought at first it was a hornet attacking rather than two insects mating. I will go back in a couple of days and try for a photo

[Prudie]

i was immediately going to suggest broad bellied Libelulla before I saw Milvus' answer
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=broad-bodied+libellula+dragonfly&;source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiig_KF8YrxAhXrDWMBHShaC28Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1680&bih=907

[Chipchopper]

Broad bodied chaser ?

[Chipchopper]

B b chasers are amazing to watch, I saw 2 near my small pond last year, not seen any this year so far.
It just goes to show that you don't have to have a large pond to attract all kinds of wildlife.