Damselflies and Dragonflies

DAMSELFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES

of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed

A GALLERY OF THE DAMSELFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES

of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed

Classified using traditional taxonomic ranks.

Domain-Eukaryota

Kingdom-Animalia

Phylum-Arthropoda

Class-Insecta

Order-Odonata

Suborder-Zygoptera (Damselflies)

Family-Coenagrionidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Blue-fronted Dancer — Argia apicalis, a male Blue-fronted Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Blue-fronted Dancer — Argia apicalis, a male Blue-fronted Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Blue-fronted Dancer — Argia apicalis, a Blue-fronted Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Blue-fronted Dancer — Argia apicalis, a teneral Blue-fronted Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Male Variable Dancer — Argia fumipennis, a male Variable Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Variable Dancers — Argia fumipennis, Variable Dancers in tandem, a male (right) clasping a female (left).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Variable Dancers — Argia fumipennis, Variable Dancers, males clasping ovipositing females.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancer — Argia moesta, a male Powdered Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancer — Argia moesta, a male Powdered Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancer — Argia moesta, a female Powdered Dancer (brown form).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancer — Argia moesta, a female Powdered Dancer (striped blue form).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancers — Argia moesta, Powdered Dancers, pairs with males clasping ovipositing striped blue form female (left) and brown form female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancers and Fragile Forktail — To the left, Argia moesta, Powdered Dancers, male clasping female (left), and to the far right, an ovipositing female Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Powdered Dancer — Argia moesta, a female Powdered Dancer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Dusky Dancers — Argia translata, Dusky Dancers in tandem, a male (left) clasping a female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Double-striped Bluet — Enallagma basidens, a mature male Double-striped Bluet.

Double-striped Bluets — Enallagma basidens, Double-striped Bluets in tandem, a male (right) clasping a female (left).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Double-striped Bluet — Enallagma basidens, Double-striped Bluets in tandem, a male (left) clasping an ovipositing female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluet — Enallagma civile, a mature male Familiar Bluet.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluet — Enallagma civile, a mature male Familiar Bluet.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluets — Enallagma civile, Familiar Bluets in tandem, a male (left) clasping a female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluets — Enallagma civile, Familiar Bluets in tandem, a male (right) clasping a female (left).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluet — Enallagma civile, Familiar Bluets, a male (right) and a female (left) preparing to mate.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluet — Enallagma civile, Familiar Bluets, a male (right) and a female (left) in wheel position copulating.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Familiar Bluet with Water Mites — Enallagma civile, Familiar Bluets copulating in wheel position, the male (top) with water mite larvae (possibly Arrenurus species) on the underside of his abdomen. These parasites attach to the damselfly during its aquatic nymphal stage, then make a quick transfer from the molted exuvia to the adult during metamorphosis. After attaching to the adult damselfly, they both feed upon it and use it as transportation to new waters before jumping off to finish their nymphal and adult stages as predators. In sufficient numbers, water mite larvae can sometimes weaken the host species and affect its survivability. But for this particular male bluet, there appears to be minimal immediate impact upon his vigor.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Stream Bluet — Enallagma exsulans, a male Stream Bluet.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Stream Bluets — Enallagma exsulans, Stream Bluets, male clasping female.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Stream Bluets — Enallagma exsulans, Stream Bluets, male clasping female.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Orange Bluets — Enallagma signatum, Orange Bluets in tandem, a male (left) clasping a female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Orange Bluets — Enallagma signatum, Orange Bluets, a male (above) and a female (below) in wheel position copulating.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Orange Bluets — Enallagma signatum, Orange Bluets on a floating plant stem, multiple pairs in tandem, males clasping ovipositing females.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: immature Orange Bluet — Enallagma signatum, an immature Orange Bluet.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Slender Bluet — Enallagma traviatum, a male Slender Bluet.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Slender Bluet — Enallagma traviatum, Slender Bluets in tandem, a male (left) clasping a female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Slender Bluet — Enallagma traviatum, Slender Bluets in tandem, a male (left) clasping an ovipositing female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Fragile Forktail — Ischnura posita, a male Fragile Forktail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Fragile Forktails — Ischnura posita, Fragile Forktails, a male (above) and female (below), in wheel position copulating.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Fragile Forktail — Ischnura posita, a female Fragile Forktail ovipositing.

Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Fragile Forktail nymph — Ischnura posita, a Fragile Forktail nymph.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Forktail — Ischnura verticalis, a male Eastern Forktail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Forktail — Ischnura verticalis, a male Eastern Forktail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Forktail — Ischnura verticalis, an immature female Eastern Forktail.

Family-Calopterygidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Ebony Jewelwing — Calopteryx maculata, a male Ebony Jewelwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Ebony Jewelwing — Calopteryx maculata, a male Ebony Jewelwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Ebony Jewelwing — Calopteryx maculata, a male Ebony Jewelwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Ebony Jewelwing — Calopteryx maculata, a female Ebony Jewelwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: American Rubyspot — Hetaerina americana, a male American Rubyspot.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: American Rubyspot — Hetaerina americana, a female American Rubyspot.

Family-Lestidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Southern Spreadwing — Lestes australis, a Southern Spreadwing.

Suborder-Epiprocta

Infraorder-Anisoptera (Dragonflies)

Family-Aeshnidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Shadow Darner — Aeshna umbrosa, Shadow Darners copulating, a male (left) and a female (right).

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Shadow Darner — Aeshna umbrosa, a mature female Shadow Darner.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Shadow Darner — Aeshna umbrosa, a female Shadow Darner ovipositing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Shadow Darner — Aeshna umbrosa, a Shadow Darner beginning ecdysis, the final molt from its larval skin known as the exuvia.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Shadow Darner — Aeshna umbrosa, a Shadow Darner imago drying its wings just after its final molt.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Green Darner — Anax junius, the Common Green Darner.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Green Darner — Anax junius, the Common Green Darner.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Swamp Darner — Epiaeschna heros, a female Swamp Darner ovipositing.

Family-Gomphidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Unicorn Clubtail — Arigomphus villosipes, the Unicorn Clubtail. The aqua-blue eyes are unique to central-Pennsylvania populations of this species.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Unicorn Clubtail — Arigomphus villosipes, the Unicorn Clubtail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black-shouldered Spinyleg — Dromogomphus spinosus, the Black-shouldered Spinyleg.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black-shouldered Spinyleg — Dromogomphus spinosus, the Black-shouldered Spinyleg.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black-shouldered Spinyleg — Dromogomphus spinosus, the Black-shouldered Spinyleg.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Rusty Snaketail — Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis, the Rusty Snaketail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Lancet Clubtail — Phanogomphus exilis, the Lancet Clubtail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Lancet Clubtail — Phanogomphus exilis, the Lancet Clubtail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Lancet Clubtail — Phanogomphus exilis, the Lancet Clubtail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Lancet Clubtail — Phanogomphus exilis, the Lancet Clubtail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Lancet Clubtails — Phanogomphus exilis, Lancet Clubtails, a male (above) and a female (below) in wheel position copulating.

Family-Corduliidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: American Emerald — Cordulia shurtleffii, the American Emerald.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Baskettail — Epitheca cynosura, the Common Baskettail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Baskettail — Epitheca cynosura, the Common Baskettail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Baskettail — Epitheca cynosura, the Common Baskettail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Baskettail — Epitheca cynosura, the Common Baskettail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Prince Baskettail — Epitheca princeps, the Prince Baskettail.

Family-Libellulidae

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Calico Pennant — Celithemis elisa, a mature male Calico Pennant.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Halloween Pennant — Celithemis eponina, a male Halloween Pennant.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Halloween Pennant — Celithemis eponina, the Halloween Pennant.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Pondhawk — Erythemis simplicicollis, a male Eastern Pondhawk.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Pondhawk — Erythemis simplicicollis, the Eastern Pondhawk.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Pondhawk — Erythemis simplicicollis, the Eastern Pondhawk.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Spangled Skimmer — Libellula cyanea, a male Spangled Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Slaty Skimmer — Libellula incesta, a male Slaty Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Slaty Skimmer — Libellula incesta, a male Slaty Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Slaty Skimmer — Libellula incesta, a female Slaty Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Widow Skimmer — Libellula luctuosa, a male Widow Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Widow Skimmer — Libellula luctuosa, a female Widow Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Twelve-spotted Skimmer — Libellula pulchella, a male Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Twelve-spotted Skimmer — Libellula pulchella, a female Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Great Blue Skimmer — Libellula vibrans, a male Great Blue Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Great Blue Skimmer — Libellula vibrans, a male Great Blue Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Great Blue Skimmer — Libellula vibrans, the Great Blue Skimmer.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Great Blue Skimmers — Libellula vibrans, Great Blue Skimmers, a male (left) and a female (right) in wheel position copulating.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Blue Dasher — Pachydiplax longipennis a male Blue Dasher.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Blue Dasher — Pachydiplax longipennis a female Blue Dasher.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Wandering Glider — Pantala flavescens, a male Wandering Glider.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Wandering Glider — Pantala flavescens, a female Wandering Glider.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Amberwing — Perithemis tenera, a male Eastern Amberwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Amberwing — Perithemis tenera, a male Eastern Amberwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Amberwing — Perithemis tenera, a male Eastern Amberwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Eastern Amberwing — Perithemis tenera, a female Eastern Amberwing.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Whitetail — Plathemis lydia, a male Common Whitetail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Common Whitetail — Plathemis lydia, a female Common Whitetail.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Carolina Saddlebags — Tramea carolina, the Carolina Saddlebags.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Carolina Saddlebags — Tramea carolina, the Carolina Saddlebags.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black Saddlebags — Tramea lacerata, a male Black Saddlebags.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black Saddlebags — Tramea lacerata, a female Black Saddlebags.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black Saddlebags — Tramea lacerata, the Black Saddlebags.

Damselflies and Dragonflies of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed: Black Saddlebags — Tramea lacerata, a pair of Black Saddlebags in tandem, a male (right) clasping a female (left).

SOURCES

Dunkle, Sidney W. 2000. Dragonflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America. Oxford University Press. New York, NY.

Paulsen, Dennis. 2011. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.