Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)
🧚♂️ Overview
The Beautiful Demoiselle is a striking species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae, found across much of Europe and parts of western Asia. It lives up to its name with glossy, metallic wings and elegant flight, often seen fluttering near clean, fast-flowing streams and rivers.
🔍 Identification
| Feature | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Body length: 45–49 mmWingspan: up to 70 mm | Slightly smaller than males |
| Color | Metallic blue-green bodyDark blue-black wings | Metallic green-bronze bodySmoky brown wings |
| Eyes | Blackish | Brownish |
| Flight | Fluttering and butterfly-like | Slower, more delicate than dragonflies |
Males are often mistaken for the similar Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens), but their wings are entirely dark, not just banded.
🌍 Habitat
- Prefers clean, fast-flowing water: streams, rivers, forested brooks.
- Requires well-oxygenated water with gravel or stony beds for larvae.
- Often found perching on vegetation near water’s edge.
🔁 Life Cycle
- Eggs laid on submerged aquatic plants.
- Nymphs (naiads) are aquatic and live for 1–2 years.
- Adults emerge between May and August (varies by region).
- Short adult life: a few weeks to a couple of months.
💘 Behavior & Mating
- Males are territorial and perform elaborate courtship dances, fluttering around females to show off their wing color.
- After mating, females lay eggs underwater — often with males guarding them.
- Males often fight rivals for the best territory along a stream.
🌿 Conservation & Status
- Considered locally common and not globally threatened.
- A good bioindicator species: its presence suggests high water quality.
- Threats include:
- Water pollution
- Habitat loss (due to river modification)
- Climate change
🧠 Interesting Facts
- Unlike dragonflies, demoiselles fold their wings together above the body at rest.
- Their metallic colors are not pigments but created by light interference on wing and body surfaces.
- They’re often featured in folklore and poetry for their delicate, fairy-like appearance.
Visited 16 times, 1 visit(s) today
Post Comment