Dragonflies (i.e. what we English-speaking humans classify as "dragonfly") are such an ancient form of insect in evolutionary terms that they've had ages of time to vary to suit changing local conditions.
My experience of "common" damselflies and dragonflies in places I've lived in England is that they tend towards the blue/green, but in my childhood home we also had at least one bright metallic red species of damselfly, and when I stay with my friend on the Thames then I mostly see fat almost-furry brown dragonflies.
I posted some (clearer) azure damselfly photos a couple of years ago:
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My experience of "common" damselflies and dragonflies in places I've lived in England is that they tend towards the blue/green, but in my childhood home we also had at least one bright metallic red species of damselfly, and when I stay with my friend on the Thames then I mostly see fat almost-furry brown dragonflies.
I posted some (clearer) azure damselfly photos a couple of years ago:
http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/288147.html