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Ebony Jewelwing - Calopteryx maculata
General Description
This is a large damselfly about 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ inches long (45 to 52 mm). The body is robust, especially in the females. The abdoman color is an unmistakable iridescent green or blue. The entire wing is black with white stigmas. Flight can look erratic with the black wings, as they are weak but graceful flyers.
Diagnostic Characteristics
This is a large damselfly about 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ inches long (45 to 52 mm). The body is robust, especially in the females. The color is an unmistakable iridescent green or blue. The entire wing is black, whereas the River Jewelwing is only partially colored.
Range Comments
Known from one damaged larval specimen reported on the Tongue River. Could be found throughout the southeastern part of Montana in larger warm-water prairie rivers, although we haven't seen any on the Powder River with extensive sampling efforts.
Habitat
The Ebony Jewelwing is found in larger warm water streams and rivers with lots of riparian shade. Optimum habitats have sufficient submergent vegetation present (Nikula et al. 2002, Acorn 2004, Paulson 2009).
Food Habits
Larvae feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp.
Adult- This damselfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Additional ReferencesLegend:
View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Acorn, J. 2004. Damselflies of Alberta: flying neon toothpicks in grass. Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta Press. 156 pp.
- Dunkle, S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through binoculars: A field guide to dragonflies of North America. New York, NY. Oxford University Press. 266 pp.
- Paulson, D.R. 2009. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West. Princeton University Press, Princeton. 535 pp.
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