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Brush-tipped Emerald - Somatochlora walshii
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
This dragonfly is currently listed as an "S1S2" Species of Concern in MT due to extremely limited and/or rapidly declining population numbers, range and/or habitat, making it highly vulnerable to extirpation in the state.
General Description
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Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Brush-tipped Emeralds are widespread across northern Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland, North West Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Yukon; and the northern United States: New Hampshire south to West Virginia in east and Montana and Oregon in the west. In Montana, this speices is found in the western Middle Rockies forested region of the state.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 25
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Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
The habitat preference for the Brush-tipped Emerald includes small, slow-flowing streams that flow through open bogs, sedge fens, marshes, and meadows. This species can also be found at lake or pond outlets (Dunkle 2000, Paulson 2009).
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Grassland
Montane - Subalpine Grassland
Wetland and Riparian
Alkaline - Saline Wetlands
Alpine Riparian and Wetland
Peatland
Riparian and Wetland Forest
Wet Meadow and Marsh
Food Habits
Larvae feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp. They will also eat very small fish and tadpoles. Adult dragonflies will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.
Reproductive Characteristics
Male Brush-tipped Emeralds patrol slowly over streams or wetlands and can also fly quickly on longer forays. Females oviposit in slow flight over the water with rhythmic tapping of surface with their abdomens (Dunkle 2000, Paulson 2009).
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Additional ReferencesLegend:
View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Dunkle, S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through binoculars: A field guide to dragonflies of North America. New York, NY. Oxford University Press. 266 pp.
Miller, K.B. and D.L. Gustafson. 1996. Distribution records of the Odonata of Montana. Bulletin of American Odonatology 3(4):75-88.- Paulson, D.R. 2009. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West. Princeton University Press, Princeton. 535 pp.
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