Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 5

Image Taken on 19 May 2024 at 17:53 Image of day on 16 Jun 2024

This is the only female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly we have seen before the weather turned cold and we stopped seeing any at all. The white spots near the wing tips only appear on the female.

Ref: 20240616_r70_20240519_1753_240 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Jun 2022 at 10:26 Image of day on 17 Jul 2022

and here a female.

Ref: 20220717_df3_20220603_1026_090 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Jun 2021 at 16:02 Image of day on 26 Jul 2021

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - the brown colour of the wings is clear in this photo, so it is NOT a Banded Demoiselle

Ref: 20210726_df3_20210623_1602_138 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 12 Jun 2021 at 14:53 Image of day on 17 Jul 2021

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly. The wingspan is about 7cm - much larger than most Damselflies. Walking down a path with dozens of these fluttering around you is quite one of the most magical experiences we know.

Ref: 20210717_d73_20210612_1453_055 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 29 May 2020 at 17:37 Image of day on 02 Jul 2020

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly catching the vivid metallic glint at the tail end very well. The number of both sexes have declined steeply in the last few days from 50 or so to just an occasional sighting.

Ref: 20200702_d73_20200529_1737_010 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 09 Jun 2019 at 15:32 Image of day on 24 Jul 2019

On the last sunny day before the rains the Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies still flutter around us along the sunny walks. This is the female.

Ref: 20190724_df5_20190609_1532_123 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 24 May 2019 at 12:21 Image of day on 29 Jun 2019

The site is wonderfully awash with Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies. 'Beautiful' is part of the common name, as well as being a good description. About 20 individuals flutter about as you pass a sheltered warm patch.
The females bodies are iridescent and vary in colour from green to gold according to the lighting. Females also have the white dot (pseudo-pterostigma) near the upper tip of all 4 wings, though it is sometimes hard to see.

Ref: 20190629_df5_20190524_1221_166 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 20 Jun 2018 at 17:57 Image of day on 02 Aug 2018

A detail from another female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly highlighting the wonderful intricacy of the veins in the wings.

Ref: 20180802_df3_20180620_1757_090 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Jun 2018 at 10:43 Image of day on 25 Jul 2018

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly keeping still long enough for a photo. These creatures (male, female and both Beautiful and Banded variants) have a characteristic & we think delightful fluttering flight.

Ref: 20180725_df3_20180611_1043_022 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 10 Jun 2017 at 12:52 Image of day on 03 Aug 2017

This is the female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly. Note the golden iridescence and complex egg laying machinery at the tail end.

Ref: 20170803_df3_20170610_1252_030 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Jun 2017 at 16:02 Image of day on 23 Jul 2017

Next day a female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly arrived. Compared to the male note the lighter coloured wings, a more golden tail end (not very obvious through the golden wing here) and the different sexual organs at the tail tip

Ref: 20170723_df3_20170601_1602_044 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 22 Jul 2016 at 18:04 Image of day on 10 Sep 2016

This is the female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly, with iridescent brown-green body.

Ref: 20160910_df3_20160722_1804_060 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 09 Jun 2021 at 12:53 Image of day on 12 Jul 2021

At last we see a Female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly. Only the females have the white 'pseudo-pterostigma' on both Demoiselle species.
Many other Odonata have these marks in a similar position, but there are usually black or Brown, hence the 'pseudo' for these white ones.

Ref: 20210712_d73_20210609_1253_148 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (1st female of 2021) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Jun 2018 at 16:16 Image of day on 15 Jul 2018

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (one of 3 individuals spread over our patch) on the first day of the year warm enough to draw them out.

Ref: 20180715_d72_20180603_1616_055 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (1st of 2018) (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Jun 2018 at 16:17 Image of day on 15 Jul 2018

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (one of 3 individuals spread over our patch) on the first day of the year warm enough to draw them out.

Ref: 20180715_d72_20180603_1617_062 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (1st of 2018)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 20 May 2025 at 12:33 Image of day on 04 Jul 2025

The Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies have arrived on our patch. So far 2 females - seen momentarily near each other.

Ref: 20250704_df3_20250520_1233_027 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (1st of 2025) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Jun 2019 at 11:56 Image of day on 11 Jul 2019

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly has a wonderful green and gold iridescent body here shown as the detail of the head.

Ref: 20190711_df5_20190601_1156_034 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (detail crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 19 Jun 2025 at 11:15 Image of day on 02 Aug 2025

Differentiating Demoiselle females is a bit tricky, but this one seems to be a female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly. The white speck near the top of the wings is a pseudo-pterostigma - normally black in most Damselfly and Dragonfly species, but absent in male Demoiselles.
It is apparently some sort of anti-vibration device - there was a fascinating 5 minute discussion of Dragonfly flight in Springwatch 2025 Episode 2 (of 12). You may be able to see it at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002cty6/springwatch-2025-episode-2 . Move the player bar to 45 minutes to catch the start. It includes (for us) new information not to be found in any of our specialist books.

Ref: 20250802_d72_20250619_1115_037 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female (id only)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 22 May 2020 at 15:07 Image of day on 23 Jun 2020

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly makes final approach to land on this fresh leaf. Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle Damselflies are the largest UK species at about 48mm long, while more often seen Damselflies like the Common Blue are about 35mm long and appear much more delicate
These creatures are Midge hunters & have no interest in vegetation apart from somewhere to perch.

Ref: 20200623_d73_20200522_1507_080 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female approaching landing on leaf(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Jun 2019 at 11:47 Image of day on 11 Jul 2019

A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly has a wonderful green and gold iridescent body. Note the complicated tail tip of the female as opposed to the male.

Ref: 20190711_da1_20190601_1147_158_ft1 beautiful demoiselle damselfly female in flight (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

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