Ischnura elegans is a damselfly rather than a dragonfly. Its fore- and hindwings are similar in size and shape, and when at rest, the wings are held back aligned along the abdomen.
This relative small blue-tailed damselfly reaches a length of 30 to 35 mm and a wingspan of up to 40 mm. Adult males have a blue and black patterned head and thorax, blue eyes and a blue spot at the tail. The females come in a confusing variety of color forms dependent on age. They may have a similar color pattern to the males or are largely brown, rose-pink, orange, violet or green. Male and female both have bi-colored spots (pterostigma) on the tip of the wings (white and dark-brown).