Male. Taken at Crockford Stream, Hants, on July 15th 2011. Click image for a larger version.
(1/100th sec at F8. Approx 2x life size.)
Immature male. Taken at Le Roc d'Enfer, France on June 29th 2010. Click image for a larger version.
(1/30th sec at F16. Approx 2x life size.)
Female. Taken at Crockford Stream, Hants, on July 15th 2011. Click image for a larger version.
(1/40th sec at F13. Approx 2x life size.)

© David Hastings

Description

Wingspan: 48 - 72 mm; Body length: 45 - 49 mm
 
The male Beautiful Demoiselle has dark cobalt blue wings with iridescent blue veins. The body is metallic blue-green. Immature males have all-brown wings. The female has transparent greenish to deep ebony wings and white pterostigma.
 
Males are territorial, perching in bankside vegetation or trees. They flick their wings open and shut, and chase passing insects, often returning to the same perch. Females live away from water unless egg-laying or seeking a mate.
 
Females lay up to 300 eggs at a time into emergent or floating vegetation. The eggs hatch after fourteen days. The larva is stick-like with very long legs. It takes two years to develop into an adult.
 
This is one of the few British species that is restricted to running water. Small heath or forest streams with sand or gravel bottoms are the classic habitat. When streams broaden or open up, C. virgo gives way to C.splendens, although there may be a broad overlap and occasional hybridisation.
 
The flight period is from May to September.

Sightings

16-Jul-2011	:	Crockford Stream, Hants (4m, 1f)
15-Jul-2011	:	Crockford Stream, Hants (8m, 1f)
09-Jul-2011	:	Bernwood Forest, Bucks (1)
02-Jul-2011	:	Bernwood Forest, Bucks (1)
19-Jun-2011	:	Bowdown Wood, Berks (2)
11-Jun-2011	:	Whitecross Green Wood, Oxon (1)
29-Jun-2010	:	Vienne, France
26-Jun-2010	:	The Brenne, France
25-Jun-2010	:	The Brenne, France
24-Jun-2010	:	The Brenne, France