Walking along the riverbank by Kirkstall Abbey, I encountered my first Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens). Yipee! On a sunny, south facing bank males and females settled amongst the leaves of tall growing nettles and Himalayan Balsam. The males were easily identifiable, with their dark banded wings and appeared more restless than the females (pictured above) which lack the coloured wing band. The body colouring of the male (below) is a metallic blue green, the females are a metallic green with a bronze coloured tip.
More information about Banded Demoiselles on the Yorkshire Branch of the British Dragonfly Society.
Corkers!
ReplyDeleteI do hope to see these locally this year, Linda. Lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteLovely creatures aren't they... and the colours in the females are so wonderfully varied and brilliant. Glad to got to see them too :)
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of beautiful insects. I too have noticed the males are more restless - several parading up and down the river bank while females lie low in the vegetation.
ReplyDeleteI like the 2010 Butterfly sighting page
ReplyDeleteSuperb creatures to view and capture. Nice selection of images.
ReplyDeleteHello CB, lovely to see your own post of the BD's.
ReplyDeleteThank you Emma, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, funnnily enough they were on my wishlist for this year.
Hello Tricia, they're super, its such a wonderful thing to keep up to date with similar sightings of other bloggers around the UK.
Hello Rob, thanks, I was delighted with the sighting, glad to read that you shared the same observation.
Hello Johnny, thanks, they're lovely looking creatures aren;t they.
Best wishes to all & thank you very much for your comments, Linda