Beautiful Demoiselle - Calopteryx virgo

Description

Nymphs have a distinctive "rhino horn" behind the eye not found in Banded Demoiselle nymphs. 

Similar Species

Banded Demoiselle

Identification difficulty
Habitat

The Beautiful Demoiselle favours fast flowing streams with clean stony or sandy beds.

VC55 Status

Rare vagrant in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Further Information

Although cited historically by various authorities as being "common on the Southern boundary (of Leicestershire) and in Rutland" (Roebuck, 1932), "locally common (in Leicestershire)" (Longfield, 1937) and present in Leicestershire in 1960 (Corbet et al, 1960), there were no recent records of this species in VC55. There were just four records on the Leicestershire and Rutland Dragonfly Group (LRDG) database, the most last in 1973. 

It now appears to be spreading into the southern part of VC55.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Demoiselle Agrion, Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly, Beautiful Demoiselle, Beautiful Agrion
Species group:
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Odonata
Family:
Calopterygidae
Records on NatureSpot:
36
First record:
01/07/1998 (John Mousley)
Last record:
15/06/2025 (Baker, Adrian)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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