Calopterygidae

Family Calopterygidae or Demoiselles

Caliphaea confusa 

Hagen in Selys, 1959

Elevation range 1000m to 1900m

Size 36 to 40mm

Bronze-backed Demoiselles - Caliphaea confusa is found in dense pristine forests with small streams usually at higher elevations. It is found south of Kathmandu in the National Botanic Garden, in the ICIMOD wetland, and on the north side of the Kathmandu Valley. They are emerald green as juveniles then turn bronze as they age. They are among the first to appear in early April and disappear before monsoon late May to mid-June. They are weak fliers and are often found resting on ferns near water seepages, breeding in slow jungle streams usually above 1000m.

Male

A mature female above and a male below show the striking bronze coloration.

Female

Neurobasis chinensis

(Linnaeus 1758)

Elevation range from sea level to 1700m

Abdomen length 45-50mm

A rapid flash of emerald green from a leaf or stone mid-stream is eye-catching. This is a common species in Asia with many names, such as Stream Glory (India), Oriental Greenwing (Sri Lanka), Green-winged Demoiselle, Chinese Greenwing (China), and possibly other names apply, but all very descriptive of the beautiful green lining on the inner wing. Females are easily found near the males but with a white node and pterostigma on bronze-colored wings. They are found on running rivers and steams across Nepal from April through August.

Male

Female

Vestalis gracilis

(Rambur 1842)

Elevation range from 700m to 1700m

Abdomen length 45-56mm

Nepal distribution: Pokhara, Godavari, Lamjung

This is another that is either emerald green or a bronzed-golden color. It is usually found on forested streams, preferring slow flowing small streams but also seen on larger streams with a faster flow. V. gracilis has hyaline wings with pale brown tinting and brown at the wing apex. The amount is quite variable and probably depends on the age of the insect. Females a similar to the males.

They are distributed from the Western Ghats to Burma including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Northeast India.

Male

Female