Species Calopteryx dimidiata - Sparkling Jewelwing

Length 37-50 mm

Male has dark wingtips. Female usually has clear wings with white spot, though that is sometimes absent. Female sometimes has dark wingtips as well.

Southeastern United States: Massachusetts and Kentucky south to Florida, eastern Texas. Found largely in the coastal plain on the Atlantic seaboard. Usually found in small colonies because dispersal is limited.

Streams, usually with sandy bottoms and in fairly open areas with little canopy of trees. Often associated with freshwater "eel-grass", e.g., Vallisneria americana, also called wild celery (1).

April-September (Georgia). March-September (Louisiana). May-September (New Jersey).

Male patrols a territory 1-4 meters in diameter near oviposition sites, gives "cross" display, floating on the water over site, then gives rapid wingbeat display during courtship. Female oviposits underwater, usually submerging completely and starting to lay her eggs (160 in each daily bout) at the base of an aquatic plant (1).

River Jewelwing, Ebony Jewelwing

Dunkle, Damselflies Florida, pp. 25-26, fig. 13 (1)

Lam p. 19 (2)

Abbott, pp. 22-23, photos 1a, 1b (3)

RLE Photo