Banded Demoiselle female

There were a few females flapping their wings by the river, but no male in sight. I guess it is a Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo), although it could be C. splendens as well. I uploaded a few photos with the wings in a different position to show how the colours change, but the white spots are aways clearly visible.

comments (2)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

When you identify something, we tend to believe you :) Great spotting! Posted 12 years ago

WildFlower

Lion

I try to check several sources before identifying any species, but I couldn't find enough clues for this one. Now based on new data I found, I have reconsidered the ID.
The C. virgo females can be seperated from the females of the other species, by looking at the placement of the pseudostigma (the special wing marking towards the tip). In C. virgo this white marking is placed further away from the wing tip than in C. splendens and C. xanthostoma.
http://www.danodonata.dk/odo_order_calopteryx_uk.htm Posted 12 years ago

The Banded damoiselle

The banded demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers. It is a Eurasian species occurring from the Atlantic coast eastwards to Lake Baikal and northwestern China. This is a common species throughout much of its range.

Info 30 1

Similar species: Dragonflies And Damselflies

Species identified by WildFlower