This very rare subspecies of Calopteryx splendens is unusual among Odonata in that it flies only at night; as a result, it has hardly ever been photographed. The shot of the male was taken with a light-intensifying lens, hence the rather grainy image.  It has been recorded only on the Isle of Wight, where of course, oddities proliferate because of the island's remoteness from the mainland - approximately forty years remote.  It is likely that the sparkling colours evolved to reduce collisions in the dark but the female, on the other hand, is remarkably drab and very hard to find, even for the males. This is probably the main reason that populations remain stubbornly small.  Another unusual feature of this subspecies is the early and very short flight period - it is usually seen at the beginning of April but the adult stage lasts only a few hours.