Odonate flight season for this area was slowed by the roller coaster weather of this Spring. It's only been the last month that the temperatures have evened out. Dragonflies were late emerging but the damsels have been out for a while.
Today I'm going to focus on some damselflies in the family Calopterygidae or broad-winged damsels. I went to a PA Fish and Boat Commission boating access at Rock Hill on the Conestoga River a few miles from my house to see if they had emerge yet. (I had been there 3 times in the last few weeks with no success.) On this day they were everywhere!
One species is the American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana). I had posted some pics on another website and a friend who was an entomology professor at the Univ. of Delaware had indicated that they wouldn't expect to see them in northern DE until August!. This is a beautiful species that prefers habitats of open, clear streams and rivers with moderate to rapid flow and emergent and shoreline vegetation. Large populations are found when Water Willow is present. Males are striking and unmistakable. Females occur in two forms, with either green or copper-colored (brown) marks on the thorax. Below are three "ladies in waiting."

Two Green Form and One Brown Form
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) F by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

This was the only male at the river while I was there compared to about 20 females. The "smallish" red wing spot may indicate that he hay not be the best choice for a mate or the best hunter.

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) M by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Below is a closeup of a female.

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) F by Tony Schoch, on Flickr


Another broad-winged damselfly at the river that day was the Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata). They also inhabit the shore of streams and rivers from open sun to slightly shaded small creeks. This is truly a magnificent species of damselfly. There is no doubt why the genus was given the name Calopteryx, which means “beautiful wing.” The maculation is found on the tip of the female's wing. A white stigma against an black wing.The stigma is absent in males. In males the entire body is iridescent changing from blue to green. The female is emerald green. The female requires plant material just below the water’s surface in which to lay her 600 or so eggs. She dips just the tip of her abdomen underwater and inserts her ovipositor into a plant’s stem or leaf to deposit her eggs. The male remains in the vicinity to guard her, chasing off rival males.

Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) M by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

A Female Ovipositing

Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) F by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

I hope you enjoyed these. Have a great day!
>i< Doc