Phaon iridipennis
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
Phaon iridipennis, commonly known as the glistening demoiselle or glinsterjuffertjie, is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae. This is a large (length: up to 75 mm (3.0 in), wingspan: up to 87 mm (3.4 in)) damselfly with long legs. The common name comes from its iridescent wings, which sparkle with purple-blue flecks in the sunlight. The wings become more smoky with age. pterostigmata may or may not be present, although it is unclear what drives this difference. When present, they start off as light brown in colour and become darker with age. The thorax and abdomen are a coppery green in both sexes, although females are duller and browner than the males.
This species is common and widespread. It is found in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa; from South Africa to Ethiopia and Senegal, particularly in more tropical areas. It also occurs on Madagascar. It is most common along rivers and streams with gallery forest, but also occurs in coastal, dune and swamp forests, as well as the forested edges of pans and marshes. It is highly dependent on shade, and is rarely seen out in open sunlight. It does, however, sometimes occur... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
No species of the same family or order lives in Semuliki National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other insects.
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Glistening Demoiselle sighting in Semuliki National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Glistening Demoiselle in Semuliki National Park on a given day, against about 20% in June and October, the lowest months. That is one of Semuliki National Park's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain against 140 mm in May. March, May, September and December have too few records to rate.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Glistening Demoiselle sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Glistening Demoiselle sightings, Semuliki National Park has the highest daily chance: about 60%. Next come Kruger National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Glistening Demoiselle is recorded against all the insects logged in Semuliki National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
