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Animal profile

Banded Demoiselle

Calopteryx splendens

InsectaSlow-flowing lowland rivers and streams with muddy bottoms and bankside vegetationLeast Concern

Field profile

The banded demoiselle is a broad-winged damselfly whose males carry a dark blue-black band across each wing and a metallic blue body. Females are metallic green with translucent wings. It flutters over slow rivers with a distinctly butterfly-like flight.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2024-12-29

Banded Demoiselle

Damselflies fold their wings; dragonflies cannot

The simplest way to separate a damselfly from a dragonfly is the resting posture. Damselflies bring their wings together over the back, while dragonflies hold theirs out flat, and the difference reflects wing shape and musculature rather than a behavioural choice.

Read with evidence →

Banded Demoiselle | Daily Animal Facts