The Banded Demoiselles of Utrecht city

Banded Demoiselle

The Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) is a damselfly. Damselflies are insects and belong to the dragonflies (odonata). The dragonflies are divided into two major groups, the damselflies (zygoptera) and the 'true' dragonflies (anisoptera). Officially there is a third group, the 'ancient dragonflies' (anisozygoptera) which holds only two Asian species, one from China and one from Japan. Damselflies are smaller then 'true' dragonflies, more fragile en they keep their wings open when resting.

De Banded Demoiselle belongs to the family of Broad-winged damselflies (or Demoiselles). Other families of damselflies are for example the Pond Damselflies and the Spreadwings. In the Netherlands one other species of the Demoiselles is found, the Beautiful Demoiselle. In the south of Europe two more species appear, the Western Demoiselle and the Copper Demoiselle.

Banded Demoiselle (female)
Banded Demoiselle (female)
Banded Demoiselle (male)
Banded Demoiselle (male)

Blue and green

The males of the Banded Demoiselle have an irriscendant blue body and partly blue wings. At the base and at the top the wings are translucent, which make it appear as if a blue band crosses their wings. The photo shows this well.

The females are green or brownish and have translucent wings without the dark band. At the end of their wings they have a white spot. This spot is called 'pterostigma'. Almost all dragonfly species have such a spot. It is a bt of an exception that the males of the Banded Demoisel do not have such a spot. To be precise, spots which are divided by a vein in the wing are called a 'pseudopterostigma'. So in fact the female Banded Demoiselle has a pseudopterostigma.

Blue band

Males recognize each other from the blue band on the wings. On locations where both the Banded Demoiselle and the Beautiful Demoiselle appear (the latter has totally blue wings), the band of the Banded Demoiselle is narrower. This helps the species to recognize each other. The narrower the band, the less aggressive male Beautiful Demoiselles are towards male Banded Demoiselles. 		Banded Demoiselle (male)
Banded Demoiselle (male)