Something called a Beautiful Demoiselle sounds, to me, as though it’s been named by a 9-year old schoolgirl. Be that as it may, it is rather appropriate. We were captivated by them first at La Rigole near La Prise d’Eau d’Alzeau near Saissac, France.
In the UK, these have to be distinguished only from C. splendens (Banded Demoiselle) but in parts of France C. xanthostoma (Western Demoiselle) must also be considered. My Demoiselle Comparison Chart may help clarify the differences.
Id Notes
- ♂ – metallic blue body
- ♂ – almost completely dark blue (there are subspecies variations)
- ♀ – metallic green body
- ♀ – wings clear with brownish tint (cf. C. splendens – greenish) with white pseudo-pterostigma
| male | ||
 |
 |
 |
| immature male | |
 |
 |
| female | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| in cop | in flight |
 |
 |
Hi
Found your very interesting site after a Google search – think I spotted a veritable swarm of these (males) at Feldon Valley Golf Club in Brailes, Warwickshire, UK. They were stunning. I live nearby & have a small pond with a few damsels & dragons but have never seen these before. Hoped for a moment I’d discovered a new species 😜🤣.
Stunning indigo blue wings & body colour. Tried to take a few pics on my phone but they didn’t do them justice. Many thanks.
I’m glad you found me. 😉
This species frequently occurs in large numbers. They prefer running water for a breeding location but will stray to still waters for a while.