# Banded Demoiselle (*Calopteryx splendens*) The Banded Demoiselle is a beautiful dragonfly with shiny, colorful wings. They love to flutter around rivers and ponds, showing off their bright colors to everyone! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Banded Demoiselle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%E2%99%82_Geb%C3%A4nderte_Prachtlibelle_Calopteryx_splendens_5.JPG&width=800) Photo: Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and if you want send me a message . or ( rufre@lenz-nenning.at ), CC BY-SA 3.0 at · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E2%99%82_Geb%C3%A4nderte_Prachtlibelle_Calopteryx_splendens_5.JPG) ## Appearance The Banded Demoiselle has a metallic blue-green body. Males are striking with broad, dark blue-black bands across their translucent wings, while females have green bodies and clear, often smoky, wings with a prominent white spot. This wing banding makes them easily distinguishable from other damselflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Calopterygidae - **Genus:** Calopteryx ## Interesting facts - Despite having six legs, they aren't built for walking and prefer to fly or perch! - Their dazzling metallic shimmer comes from tiny structures, not just plain color! - They have separate eyes on either side of their head, unlike dragonflies with conjoined eyes! - Wow, their larvae can live underwater for up to two years before becoming adults! ## Special abilities - **Underwater Builder:** Females can carefully lay their eggs inside aquatic plant stems using a special egg-laying tube. - **Streamline Hunter:** Its aquatic nymphs are fierce predators, ambushing small invertebrates hidden in the water. - **Territory Guardian:** Males actively defend prime spots along the water's edge to ensure successful mating opportunities. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-70 mm - **Size:** 45-48 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-28 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These aerial hunters feast on small flying insects they snatch right out of the air! - **Age differences:** Nymphs are aquatic predators, ambushing small invertebrates; adults hunt aerial insects. - **Primary Foods:** Midges, Mosquitoes, Small flies, Aphids, Mayflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common frog (*Rana temporaria*) — Adults can be prey for amphibians. - **Eaten by:** [Brown trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) — Nymphs are a food source for fish. - **Eaten by:** [Grey wagtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grey-wagtail) (*Motacilla cinerea*) — Birds often catch them near water. - **Hunts:** Common house mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Helps control mosquito populations. - **Hunts:** Non-biting midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Preys on various small flying insects. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch dragonflies from a distance; they are friendly but can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Banded Demoiselle? Compare wing shape and resting posture, where the eyes sit, body markings and the tail segments. Males and females can look very different in color. Dragonfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Banded Demoiselle's wingspan? 60-70 mm ### How big is Banded Demoiselle? 45-48 mm ### How long does Banded Demoiselle live? 14-28 days ### How fast can Banded Demoiselle fly? 5-10 km/h ### What does Banded Demoiselle eat? These aerial hunters feast on small flying insects they snatch right out of the air! ### Where is Banded Demoiselle usually found? Wetlands ### How does Banded Demoiselle hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Biosphärenreservat Spreewald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/spreewald-biosphere-reserve) — Brandenburg, DE · Park - [Naturpark Schwalm-Nette](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-schwalm-nette) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Westensee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-westensee) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park - [Bavarian Forest Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bavarian-forest-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Naturpark Vulkanregion Vogelsberg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-vulkanregion-vogelsberg) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Schlosspark Nymphenburg (München)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nymphenburg-palace-park-munich) — Bayern, DE · Park [View all places to see Banded Demoiselle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/banded-demoiselle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Banded Demoiselle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/banded-demoiselle)