Template:POTD/2024-02-05
The banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae. It is a Eurasian species, occurring from the Atlantic coast eastwards to Lake Baikal and northwestern China. Often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers, it is a common species throughout much of its range. This male banded demoiselle was photographed at Farmoor in Oxfordshire, England, near the River Thames. Males have a dark wing patch that starts at the nodus but can reach up to the wing tip in southern races.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp