Return to moorhen home page

Return to section index


Image-of-the-Day by Subject


Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 6

Image Taken on 26 May 2017 at 14:40    Image of day on 11 Jul 2017

This Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly viewed from the rear looks worthy of the presence on 'Pandora' (the world of James Cameron's movie 'Avatar' if you didn't see it).


Ref: 20170711_df3_20170526_1440_109 beautiful demoiselle damselfly immature male viewed from the rear (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Jun 2016 at 14:47    Image of day on 23 Jul 2016

Our early Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly is apparently the first report this year in Buckinghamshire. An unusual feature of this species in the white speck near the top tip of all 4 wings. Here they are nicely lined up to make a bright patch as the sun catches them.


Ref: 20160723_df3_20160610_1447_183 beautiful demoiselle damselfly immature male with clearly white pseudo-pterostigma (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 05 Jun 2016 at 16:35    Image of day on 17 Jul 2016

Guarding his shadow seen through the leaf, this pristine Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly looks down at us from a high leaf.


Ref: 20160717_df3_20160605_1635_177 beautiful demoiselle damselfly immature male with shadow through leaf (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Jun 2022 at 12:23    Image of day on 29 Jul 2022

A Few Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies are still to be found in the middle of warm days. Here a male ...


Ref: 20220729_d72_20220613_1223_031 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 03 Jun 2022 at 10:19    Image of day on 17 Jul 2022

The Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies are to be found in well separated spots of shelter and sun. There are far fewer than last year when at least 50 spent midday on a south facing stretch of hedge.
We notice that these delicate creatures (in fact Damselflies in general) seem to remain pristine - presumably they do not frequent bramble patch where the prickles tend to damage wing edges.
Here is a male ...


Ref: 20220717_df3_20220603_1019_077 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 20 May 2020 at 12:48    Image of day on 16 Jun 2020

A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly perched elegantly on a leaf.


Ref: 20200616_d73_20200520_1248_043 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male(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 a male.


Ref: 20190724_df5_20190609_1532_122 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 25 May 2019 at 12:29    Image of day on 29 Jun 2019

The male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies have intense blue bodies, and no white dot on the tip of the wings.


Ref: 20190629_df5_20190525_1229_006 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Jun 2017 at 12:51    Image of day on 03 Aug 2017

Both sexes of the Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies are about. This is the male.


Ref: 20170803_df3_20170610_1251_026 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Jun 2018 at 15:49    Image of day on 25 Jul 2018

What we believe to be a MALE Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly. The problem with the ID is that while the band is too wide and diffuse at the edges to be a Banded Demoiselle and the clear section more tinted than expected, the dark diffusion is just not as extensive as a normal 'Beautiful'. The iridescent blue wing veins do seem to be conclusive though. Maybe an immature male, said to have lighter colouring than the mature.


Ref: 20180725_df3_20180613_1549_021 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male (1st of 2018) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Jun 2018 at 15:49    Image of day on 25 Jul 2018

From another image of the same individual here is the detail of the 'Anal Appendage' used to grip the female (and different for each species) that looks more like that of the 'Beautiful' than the 'Banded'.


Ref: 20180725_df3_20180613_1549_026 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male (1st of 2018) (anal appendage detail)(r+mb id@288).jpg


Image Taken on 27 Jun 2011 at 08:19    Image of day on 09 Aug 2011

Last year we glimpsed what might be a new species here, and this year we have the confirmation of the Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly. This is the male - we have only glimpsed females so far. This insect requires running water for laying eggs, and we will be trying to work out where they are breeding off our site. But the corner we find them is also 'midge corner' and we think they visit for 'eat-on-the-hedge' meals.


Ref: 20110809_df1_20110627_0819_015 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male (1st sighting) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 26 May 2019 at 10:14    Image of day on 30 Jun 2019

This is the detail of the head and thorax of a male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly.


Ref: 20190630_df5_20190526_1014_086 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male (head and shadow detail crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 08 Jun 2021 at 09:17    Image of day on 12 Jul 2021

There are perhaps a dozen male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies around the various places they frequent as the 'sun moves round the heavens'.


Ref: 20210712_d73_20210608_0917_044 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male immature(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 08 Jun 2021 at 12:31    Image of day on 12 Jul 2021

Detail of a male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly shows the intricate spines and hairs.


Ref: 20210712_d73_20210608_1231_072 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male immature (head detail)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2019 at 11:12    Image of day on 10 Jul 2019

A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly with his blue iridescent body and dark wings.


Ref: 20190710_da1_20190601_1112_036_ft1 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male in flight (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2019 at 11:14    Image of day on 10 Jul 2019

A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly with his blue iridescent body and dark wings.


Ref: 20190710_da1_20190601_1114_042_ft1 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male in flight (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2019 at 13:36    Image of day on 10 Jul 2019

A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly with his blue iridescent body and dark wings.


Ref: 20190710_da1_20190601_1336_228_ft1 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male in flight (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2019 at 13:54    Image of day on 10 Jul 2019

A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly with his blue iridescent body and dark wings. The Grey wings are accentuated here as he shows overlaps of 2 and 3 wings.


Ref: 20190710_da1_20190601_1354_251_ft1 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male in flight (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Jun 2015 at 14:50    Image of day on 25 Aug 2015

A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly basking in the sun from a Hazel leaf.


Ref: 20150825_df3_20150623_1450_174 beautiful demoiselle damselfly male on hazel leaf(r+mb id@768).jpg


Backwards

Forwards

 

Comments and requests for image use

To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full resolution image, send us an email including the reference or the date for the image you are interested in.

All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-

Mail Us