Banded Demoiselle Damselflies on the River Wey today.

The River Wey & Wey canal north of Papercourt Lock was just teaming with Banded Demoiselle Damselflies, Calopteryx spliendens this afternoon.

Detail from the above photo'.

There seemed to be five or six males for every yard of river.

Banded Demoiselle, male, Calopteryx spliendens

Banded Demoiselle, female, Calopteryx spliendens

Females are less obvious to spot being an iridescent green.  Aren't they both beautiful?

Perhaps not if you were a small insect caught by a cage of their vivaciously spiked legs.

Common Blue Damselflies in the tandem position

A pair of Common Blues were on the river edge ready to lay eggs.

Papercourt lock

Section of the informative National Trust display board at the lock

On level ground, these are easy paths to walk and the beautiful damselflies and other insects add greatly to the pleasure of the beautiful River Wey -- especially for me as this is one of my Natural History talks' special subjects with details at www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk and http://www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk/product02.html

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