Wild Wednesday - Banded Demoiselle
One of the most striking insects you might spot in West Sussex is the banded demoiselle, scientific name Calopteryx splendens, a beautiful damselfly with shimmering colours and delicate, butterfly-like wings.
Found along slow-flowing rivers and streams, including parts of the River Arun, River Rother and River Adur, it is a welcome sign of a healthy freshwater environment.
Males have a metallic blue-green body and distinctive dark blue-black bands across their wings, while females are metallic green with translucent pale green wings. The species gets its common name from the dark “band” on the male's wings.
Although often mistaken for dragonflies, damselflies are more slender, with twig-like bodies and two pairs of wings that are the same shape and size. Dragonflies have bulkier bodies and differently shaped front and hind wings.
This damselfly spends most of their life underwater. Females lay their eggs inside plant stems beneath the water's surface. After hatching, the larvae live among aquatic vegetation for around two years before emerging onto nearby plants, where they transform into adults. Once airborne, adults typically live for up to four months.
Despite their delicate appearance, these insects are skilled predators. With excellent eyesight, they catch small flying insects on the wing and use specialised mouthparts to seize prey, including insects, tiny crustaceans and other aquatic creatures.
The banded demoiselle is a common species and is expanding its range across the UK, but it still faces challenges from water pollution, intensive dredging, the loss of riverside vegetation and reduced river flows caused by drought and water abstraction. Protecting our rivers and wetlands helps ensure these dazzling damselflies continue to thrive.
Read more here: Banded demoiselle | The Wildlife Trusts