Beautiful demoiselle
Unlike its relative the Banded demoiselle, the male Beautiful demoiselle has wings that are dark across their entire surface rather than showing a partial band.
| Where | Fast-flowing, shaded woodland streams |
|---|---|
| Size | 49 to 54 mm body length |
| When | May to August |
Male Beautiful demoiselles have a deep metallic blue body and wings that are entirely dark blue-black, distinguishing them from the partial wing band of the related Banded demoiselle. Females are metallic green to bronze with translucent brownish wings and a pale wing spot.
It breeds in clean, fast-flowing, well-oxygenated streams and rivers, often in shaded, wooded valleys, and males patrol short stretches of bank to court passing females.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Blue, Green, Metallic
Active
Day
To people
Found along fast, clean streams; it does not bite or sting people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Slightly smaller at about 45 to 48 mm body length, with males showing a partial dark band on each wing rather than the fully dark wings of the Beautiful demoiselle.
Questions
Is the Beautiful demoiselle dangerous to people?
Found along fast, clean streams; it does not bite or sting people.
When can you see the Beautiful demoiselle?
The Beautiful demoiselle can be seen from May to August, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Estonian Museum of Natural History, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Demoiselles›Calopteryx
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.