Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo (Linnaeus, 1758))

Scientific name: Calopteryx virgo (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: Beautiful Demoiselle
French name: Caloptéryx vierge
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Family: Calopterygidae
Wingspan: 60-70 mm.
Biotope: Near fast running and clear water, preferring shadowed areas.
Geographic area: All Europe, Western Asia and Western part of North Africa.
Flight time: May to September.

The male's body is metallic blue coloured.
the wings are uniform green blue.
The female is bronze green with brownish or golden wings.
The Banded Demoiselle feeds on insects captured in flight.
The female totally goes under water to lay the eggs, holding on a water plant.
The larva lives two years under water. The imago only lives a few weeks.


Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) - Yvelines, France - July 4th 2006
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Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)
I am not 100% sure of the identification. This may be a Banded Demoiselle. The wings may be looking totally blue because of the angle of the sun light.



Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) - Yvelines, France - July 4th 2006
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Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)
A pale coloured wooden hut allowed me to get a fine background colour, being the same tone as the colour of this female.

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