Dragonfly/Damselfly Tips
This is a collection of tips that may help in identification in the future...
Blue-fronted Dancer vs Powdered Dancer Teneral
Argia apicalis
Blue-fronted Dancer
Argia apicalis
Light dorsal stripe on abdomen is narrow and side of S9 has dark markings. In Powdered, dorsal stripe is broader and side of S9 is all pale.
Per @m_shields
Ashy vs Lancet Clubtail
Limited yellow on sides of S8-S10 are good for Ashy. Not sure how much I trust on top on these segments. (Tip provided by @hairyleg )
Rambur's vs Citrine Forktail
S1 is entirely and S2 mostly pale dorsally for Rambur's Forktail (tip provided by @m_shields ) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165995163
Citrine Forktail
Distinct yellowish shoulder stripe and lack of blue-green wash on lower side of thorax suggest to me that this is a female Citrine instead of Furtive. (tip provided by @m_shields ) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140990947
Furtive Forktail
The narrowness of the middorsal thoracic stripe and the extent of orange on S9-10 indicate Furtive, although there is less orange on S3 than typical. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/126125985
Note the bicolored stigma... https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140699333
The orange females are immatures. This one is a mature female - no orange; instead, thorax is green on the side and dark brown on top, abdomen is blackish along entire top. (tips provided by @m_shields ) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140699333
Needham's Skimmer
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130940972
Actually, this is a female. Note the lack of secondary genitalia on the underside of S2-3 and the straight cerci. (tip provided by @m_shields )
Orange Bluet
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153808752
Immaturity & cold weather can darken the color of bluets, so many can appear purple depending on conditions.
(tip provided by @zvkemp )
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum)Observer
amypadgettDescription
I'm going out on a limb and calling this a Variable Dancer because: this damselfly was lavender in color. The thorax was pale lavender with dark purple dorsal and shoulder stripes. There were pale bluish-lavender eye spots and although it didn't look to me as if the eye-spots were connected with a bar, the spots were tear-shaped as if they were trying to connect. The eyes were brownish on top, shading down to a greenish-tan. The face looked like it was turning greenish and was a pale greenish-tan at the moment (See the full face photo), It looked like S7 was just beginning to form a blue ring where S6 and S7 met, but it was very narrow/small and may be a trick of the light. I thought the lavender color was a trick of the light so I took a lot of photos and didn't process them in ways that might alter the color because I was wary of that, so it appears this damselfly really was a sparkly pale lavender color. One of the photos (the one that shows the narrow blue edge on S7) also shows a touch of blue on the edge of the thorax near S1. I think this may be a recent teneral that is transitioning into the adult colors. I located it at the edge of a swamp stream in the cutover area (not in the woods/swamp proper) so it was in the thick vegetation where there is sunlight.
Comments
Add a Comment