There are only two species of Calopteryx (Demoiselle damselflies) and both are active along the river here now that the water has warmed up. Usually the Beautiful Demoiselle - Calopteryx virgo damselfly emerges before the Banded Demoiselle damselfly - Calopteryx splendens but both emerged at about the same time this year.
On 2nd July 2015, in the afternoon, the riverbank became shaded and two Demoiselle damselflies, probably recently emerged, flew across from the river bank up to the top of a hedgerow where they perched amongst the flowering brambles - a good place to warm up and catch insects.
Watching and waiting from a high perch, an immature
male Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly - or is it?
Freshly emerged damselflies and dragonflies often have shining wings, sometimes bronze or gold-coloured, which change colour quite rapidly. Looking at the body colour of one of these two, on the top of the hedge, it appeared to be a Beautiful Demoiselle male, in the stage where the wings have not yet dried out or assumed their final colour of dark blue/black. Immatures can go through several stages of colouring of both wings and body and can obscure..there is no clear white spot on the wing which would identify it as a female, and the body colour was blue rather than green.
It is good to see both species doing well on the river now, greatly outnumbering other damselflies
(on the river, although not on the ponds where they are not seen). Most are seen chasing over the river or waiting on nettle leaves on the banks for passing insects, or as the one above, away from the river for a while. Its choice of perch about 2.5 meters up was too high for a good photo.
A warm sheltered place on the river, with running shallow water
is favoured by the Calopteryx species - but the Calopteryx virgo will fly
off to explore surrounding areas. The females of both species will
spend most of the time away from the river - today they were
flying with Brimstone butterflies over the nettles and grasses.
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