Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

The Beautiful Demoiselle(female)

Calopteryx virgo

Description:

The male usually has much more extensive pigmentation on the wings than other Calopteryx species in its range: in the south east of its range (the Balkans and Turkey) the wings are entirely metallic blue while in other areas, there are clear areas at the base and tip of the wing. Immature insects often have much paler, browner wings. They have metallic blue-green bodies and blue-green eyes. The female has dark brown iridescent wings, a white patch near the tip of the wings (called a pseudopterostigma) and a metallic green body with a bronze tip of the abdomen. bronze tip of the abdomen. Eggs and larvae Females lay up to 300 eggs at a time on emergent or floating plants, often on water-crowfoot. Like the Banded Demoiselle, they often submerge to do so. The eggs hatch after around 14 days. Again, like the Banded Demoiselle, the larva is stick-like with long legs and develops over a period of two years in submerged vegetation, plant debris or roots. They usually overwinter in mud or slime. Behaviour Males are territorial, perching in bankside plants and trees. They chase passing insects, often returning to the same perch. Males can stray well away from water, females live away from water unless egg-laying or seeking a mate.

Habitat:

The Beautiful Demoiselle (The Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) is a European damselfly. It is often found among fast-flowing waters) is a European damselfly. It is often found among fast-flowing waters http://www.google.pt/url?sa=t&rct=j&......

Notes:

spotted in the weet meadow near my house in the little river streem existent there

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

4 Comments

Maria dB
Maria dB 11 years ago

Lovely series, Antonio!!

AntónioGinjaGinja
AntónioGinjaGinja 11 years ago

Thanks booth you two are to much :) great friends i have arround here,i was waitting for these beautys since i began in noah,i hope to be able to spott one evn more closely,the wings are completly gorgeous

Sergio Monteiro
Sergio Monteiro 11 years ago

Outra beleza. Parabéns / Another beauty, congratulations.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

lovely!

Braga, Portugal

Spotted on Jun 22, 2012
Submitted on Jun 27, 2012

Related Spottings

Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis Calopteryx atrata Damselfly Banded Demoiselle

Nearby Spottings

Cliff Brake Bush lily Black Redstart(Rabiruivo Preto) Magnolia
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team