Banded Demoiselle

Common in Wales and most of England apart from in the north; however, its range is expanding. The species was first recorded from Scotland in 2002; it has now spread along the east coast and west coast in southern Scotland.

Mainly found along slow-flowing lowland streams and rivers, particularly those with muddy bottoms.

• Length: 45mm
• Male: metallic blue body with broad dark blue-black spot across outer part of wing.
• Female: metallic green body with translucent pale green wings.

Demoiselle larvae have long bodies, short spikey caudal llamellae and long ‘horn-like’ antennae.

No obvious occupital tooth sticking out from behind the eyes.

Two pale bands on the caudal llamellae.

Only Beautiful Demoiselle are similar in appearance.

• Pollution.
• Over-shading from tree growth.
• Intensive dredging.
• Removal of aquatic and bankside vegetation.
• Over abstraction.

• Control sources of pollution run off.
• Manage bankside tree growth.

The Beautiful Demoiselle is the only other British damselfly with coloured wings but the males have fully coloured wings and the females have brown-tinged wings.

Beware! Internet searches tends to find related American species such as the Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata), also known as the Black-winged Damselfly, but such species do not occur in Europe and have never been known to cross the Atlantic.