Species account

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) (Harris, 1780)
Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) [Dragonflies] BADE 24782

Blåbåndet Pragtvandnymfe (dk) Caballito del Diablo Verde (es) Blåbandad Jungfruslända (se)

Synonyms (scientific):

Libellula ludovicea Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785
Libellula ludovicea Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785
Agrio cellaris Selys in Meisser, 1831
Agrio virescens Selys in Meisser, 1831
Agrio cellaris Selys in Meisser, 1831
Agrio virescens Selys in Meisser, 1831
Calopteryx parthenias Burmeister, 1839
Calopteryx parthenias Burmeister, 1839
Calopteryx syriaca Rambur, 1842
Calopteryx syriaca Rambur, 1842
Calopteryx splendens ancilla Selys, 1853
Calopteryx splendens taurica Selys, 1853
Calopteryx splendens ancilla Selys, 1853
Calopteryx splendens taurica Selys, 1853
Calopteryx splendens mingrelica Selys, 1869
Calopteryx splendens mingrelica Selys, 1869
Calopteryx orientalis Selys, 1887
Calopteryx splendens intermedia Selys, 1887
Calopteryx orientalis Selys, 1887
Calopteryx splendens intermedia Selys, 1887
Calopteryx splendens tuempeli Scholtz, 1908
Calopteryx splendens tuempeli Scholtz, 1908
Calopteryx hyalina Martin, 1909
Calopteryx splendens tschaldirica Bartenev, 1909
Calopteryx hyalina Martin, 1909
Calopteryx splendens tschaldirica Bartenev, 1909
Calopteryx splendens cretensis Pongracz, 1911
Calopteryx splendens cretensis Pongracz, 1911
Calopteryx amasina Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx intermedia cecilia Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx intermedia persica Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx transcaspica Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx amasina Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx intermedia cecilia Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx intermedia persica Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx transcaspica Bartenev, 1912
Calopteryx splendens shachrudicus Bartenev, 1916
Calopteryx splendens shachrudicus Bartenev, 1916
Calopteryx splendens ciscaucasica Bartenev, 1925
Calopteryx splendens ciscaucasica Bartenev, 1925
Calopteryx splendens balcanica Fudakowski, 1930
Calopteryx splendens cartvelica Bartenev, 1930
Calopteryx splendens balcanica Fudakowski, 1930
Calopteryx splendens cartvelica Bartenev, 1930
Agrion splendens erevanense Akramowski, 1948
Agrion splendens erevanense Akramowski, 1948
Calopteryx orientalis risi Schmidt, 1954
Calopteryx orientalis risi Schmidt, 1954
Calopteryx splendens johanseni Belyshev, 1955
Calopteryx splendens pseudosyriaca Buchholz, 1955
Calopteryx splendens johanseni Belyshev, 1955
Calopteryx splendens pseudosyriaca Buchholz, 1955
Calopteryx splendens caprai Conci in Conci & Nielsen, 1956
Calopteryx splendens caprai Conci in Conci & Nielsen, 1956
Calopteryx splendens waterstoni Schneider, 1984
Calopteryx splendens waterstoni Schneider, 1984
Calopteryx splendens njuja Kosterin & Sivtseva, 2009
Calopteryx splendens njuja Kosterin & Sivtseva, 2009

Measurements:

To 45-48mm Ab 33-41mm Hw 27-36mm

Generations:

Flight period:

Identification:

Similar species:

The wing mark of the female is closer to the rear end of the wing than on virgo [Blåvinget Pragtvandnymfe].

Life stages:

After an initial mating ritual the mating act lasts few minutes and takes place close to the water. The solo female then inserts the eggs into submerged plant material, where she can be submerged up to half an hour. The eggs hatch after few weeks. The larvae live inbetween water plants and develop over 2-3 years. The imago-transformation takes place close to the water.

Distribution:

Most of Europe; absent Iberian peninsula and northern parts of Fennoscandinavia. Also eastward patchily through Russian and Middle East to C Siberia. In Denmark mainly in central Jylland and on Sjælland near suited waterways. But seen throughout.

Habitat:

Behavior:

The male guards the female during egg-laying.

Host plants:

Vandpest (Elodea)
Vandranunkel (Batrachium)
Gul Iris (Iris)

Endemic:

Status

LC(global) LC(eu) LC(EU) LC(dk). In Denmark rather common, and perhaps even increasing due to better water quality in many environments. Amager

Comment:

Oct 2024: I've extended the flight period into oct, due to several late sep and oct observations in observations.org and artportalen.se.

	1241 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male
	1242 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male
	1243 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male
	1246 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male
	1249 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male
	1458 (1 photos) 2023-06-04 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male Drier and warmer conditions than when I was here two years ago probably made the numbers smaller and the overall experience less magical.
	1660 (1 photos) 2023-06-24 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Male Susåen ved Herlufsholm. Taken from the bridge. An individual with much black in the wing. Wonderful to see the clean water filled with water plants!
	1655 (2 photos) 2023-06-24 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Male Susåen ved Herlufsholm.
	1659 (1 photos) 2023-06-24 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Male Susåen ved Herlufsholm. The extent of black in the wing is highly variable.
	1725 (1 photos) 2023-07-08 Tvilum Bro (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago Male Very common at this spot, and most were males.
	1788 (3 photos) 2023-07-14 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Hejresøen. Congratulations! Dragonfly-species number 29 on Amager for me! Out of the blue, and not the species I would have expected as the next one. However, checking naturbasen, there have been several single observations during the last years, why it has little sensational value, except for me. Taking the Black Darters into considerations too, that I saw today, perhaps the southern wind has brought them in from further south? Rare
	1986 (2 photos) 2023-07-21 Bøtø-skoven, Denmark Imago Male At the tityrus spot [Sort Ildfugl] near the parking lot. Found by Henrik and quite unusual here. An individual with much black in the wing, almost similar to the form caprai from Italy, shown by Smallshire and Swash, p.43. But Billqvist v.2023 shows a similar-looking animal with the note that variation exists in the male wing pattern in our region, and Dijkstra emphasizes this variation to the degree that forms and subspecies suggestions based on variation of wing pattern are not valid.
	3154 (1 photos) 2025-05-17 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Male Mature. As a Herlufsholm only very few animals present today.
	3153 (1 photos) 2025-05-17 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Male Mature. Only a few animals present on a windy day, and probably too early for the large emergence.
	3341 (1 photos) 2025-08-08 Dragør Kommune, Denmark Imago Male Fælledvej-vandhullet. Second time the species is recorded here, Frank Abrahamson had a male in June 2023. No doubt they seek out any suitable spot to rest when on the move, but still incredible how they manage to find these waterholes. It was there when I arrived, why I can't tell for how long it had been there, but it disappeared after about 5 minutes. At least that is what I expect because it had been sitting rather conspicuously like this over the water, and suddenly I couldn't find it, why I assume it had moved on. Rare
	3333 (3 photos) 2025-08-09 Amager Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Den Landskabelige Kanal, DLK-nord. Two different males: photos 1-2, 3. My second encouter of the species in a few days on the island. And my first doble-act with the two males whirling about close to each other at the western bend of the canal. One seemed to disappear while I was there, number two, while number one allowed for a good portrait. Apparently they both liked the willow overhanging the water, as the photos show. The greenish look is what I would normally relate to the female, but I think the strong sunlight this day made them look paler than the beautiful dark blue normal to the male. My 28th species on Amager Fælled. Rare
	1250 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female
	1248 (2 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female Not sure it's the same individual with the pale wing cells in photo 2...
	1247 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female
	1245 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female
	1244 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female
	1240 (1 photos) 2021-06-05 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female
	1459 (2 photos) 2023-06-04 Tamosen (Suserup), Denmark Imago Female
	1657 (1 photos) 2023-06-24 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Female Susåen ved Herlufsholm.
	1656 (1 photos) 2023-06-24 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Female Susåen ved Herlufsholm. Not always easy to spot with green on green.
	1724 (1 photos) 2023-07-08 Tvilum Bro (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago Female Very common at this spot.
	2709 (1 photos) 2024-05-13 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Female An early animal taking advance of the good weather. Only one seen, but Lars Birk had a male here today too. Hands on
	3304 (1 photos) 2025-07-19 Tvilum Bro (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago Female Young. The majority of the estimated 1500 animals I saw this day were males, why this eager female should be saluded for its boldness to come out and greet me.
	1658 (1 photos) 2023-06-24 Herlufsholm Kostskole, Denmark Imago Male & Female Susåen ved Herlufsholm. Mating wheel. We had about 50 animals just by the bridge. Females were outnumbered something like 2:20.
	3305 (2 photos) 2025-07-19 Tvilum Bro (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago Male & Female Mating wheel. Among all the estimated 1500 animals I saw today this pair was the only interaction I witnessed between the sexes!

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